Iranian authorities have expanded digital control measures by deploying military-grade jamming systems that have disabled most Starlink satellite connectivity during an extended nationwide internet blackout.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Iran has implemented nationwide military signal jamming that has largely crippled access to Starlink satellite internet, according to a report by Reclaim the Net, marking a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to control digital communications during periods of unrest.
The move represents a new phase in the regime’s longstanding strategy to sever the population’s access to external information during domestic instability. Initial interference reportedly disrupted approximately 30 percent of Starlink signal traffic, a figure that rose to more than 80 percent within hours.
Starlink relies on GPS signals for satellite positioning and synchronization. At high levels of interference, service becomes fragmented, resulting in uneven access and leaving many areas completely disconnected. Data shows Starlink traffic declined sharply as reports of widespread communication failures emerged.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that Iran’s internet shutdown extended beyond 60 hours, with national connectivity levels remaining at roughly 1 percent of normal capacity.
The use of military-grade jamming extends Iran’s censorship framework beyond conventional internet filtering and throttling. Starlink had served as a critical alternative for journalists, activists and citizens attempting to remain connected during government-imposed shutdowns. The current measures appear to have significantly reduced or eliminated that option across much of the country.
While other governments have previously attempted to interfere with Starlink, Iran’s actions appear to represent the first instance of a state disrupting the satellite network on a nationwide scale within its own borders.
By contrast, Russian electronic warfare units have targeted Starlink terminals in Ukraine since 2022, using GPS interference and jamming against Ku-band frequencies relied upon by the system. Ukrainian officials and Elon Musk have acknowledged those operations, which resulted in intermittent service disruptions and data loss. However, the effects were localized, generally limited to active combat zones, and did not result in a countrywide outage.
SpaceX responded to those attacks by deploying software updates that allowed Starlink terminals to adapt to jamming attempts, maintaining overall system functionality despite continued interference.
Iran’s previous efforts to disrupt Starlink were considerably more limited. During the 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, authorities interfered with GPS signals used by Starlink terminals, causing irregular connectivity in parts of Tehran and Isfahan. Those disruptions were confined to specific areas and did not amount to a comprehensive shutdown.
At the time, Iranian authorities also blocked access to Starlink’s website and intensified existing censorship of foreign news outlets and satellite television. Observers note that those measures were comparatively rudimentary when measured against the coordinated, military-grade signal suppression now reported in 2026.
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