Jan 14, 2026 12:00:00

Why Starlink Can't Get Through Iran's Total Internet Shutdown

As Iranian

protests sparked by economic collapse and other factors have been ongoing since late December 2025, the Iranian government implemented the strictest internet shutdown in history. There was hope that Starlink, a satellite internet service introduced in Iran in 2022, might be able to circumvent the restrictions, but experts and local reports suggest it has had little effect. International media outlet CircleID explained why Starlink is not functioning.

Why Starlink is Failing to Pierce Iran's Total Internet Blackout
https://circleid.com/posts/why-starlink-is-failing-to-pierce-irans-total-internet-blackout

Iran Appears to Be Jamming Starlink Amid Protests, Internet Blackout
https://au.pcmag.com/networking/115300/iran-appears-to-be-jamming-starlink-amid-protests-internet-blackout

'I have never seen such a thing in my life' – Iran completely shuts down the internet amid protests, Starlink also affected | TechRadar
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/i-have-never-seen-such-a-thing-in-my-life-iran-completely-shuts-down-the-internet-amid-protests-starlink-also-affected

In Iran, where demonstrations have been taking place, a rapid decline in internet traffic has been observed since around January 8, 2026 local time.

Internet outage across Iran, government interference in protests? - GIGAZINE

VPNs were also not working, with Proton VPN reporting a sharp drop in traffic during the same period.

Proton VPN sessions originating in Iran are dipping, confirming the infrastructure which allows people to access the internet is being shut down.

Normally, Proton VPN helps people affected by censorship to circumvent it, but in this case, the internet has been shut off entirely. https://t.co/09pCzqqZ7R pic.twitter.com/9AamyvGgq5

— Proton VPN (@ProtonVPN) January 8, 2026

The satellite internet service Starlink has also been affected. As the protests have grown, Starlink has become available for free locally. However, according to Amir Rashidi, security officer at the Iranian nonprofit organization Miaan Group, Iran is using sophisticated jamming technology, likely from Russia or China, and as the protests have intensified, military-level signals targeting Starlink satellites have been detected. This technology is reportedly interfering with Starlink's GPS signals, causing localized communication blackouts.

According to reports from the field, Starlink is experiencing packet loss of 30 to 80 percent, making connections unstable. An organization working to promote Starlink in Iran has collaborated with Starlink to distribute a software update that reduces packet loss to about 10 percent.

In addition to disrupting communications, local police are also stepping up their crackdown. Starting mid-2025, possession of Starlink equipment will be illegal in Iran, and in the worst case scenario, it could be treated as espionage, punishable by death. The Times of Israel reports, 'The government has never authorized the operation of Starlink, and possession and use of the service is illegal.' Security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have also been spotted conducting raids in cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz, discovering and confiscating devices.

In addition to these home raids, fake apps designed to track signals and ensnare people have been distributed in an attempt to ensnare citizens. CircleID reports that 'the Iranian government is crippling Starlink through a combination of jamming, investigation, and legal repression,' and analyzes that a digital 'Iron Curtain' has been erected.