Iran Turns to Russian Technology to Disrupt Free Starlink Internet
Elon Musk's SpaceX has made Starlink satellite internet free in Iran this week. The company waived subscription fees to help protesters connect during a nationwide blackout. However, Iran's government is fighting back with advanced Russian technology.
Free Service Meets Fierce Resistance
SpaceX began offering free Starlink access in Iran on Tuesday, US time. Bloomberg and CNN first reported this development. Company sources and technology experts confirmed the move. Ahmad Ahmadian from Holistic Resilience explained how simple it is to use. "Just place the terminal where it can see the sky clearly, and you're connected," he told CNN.
Despite an official ban, about 50,000 Starlink receivers have reportedly entered Iran through smuggling. These devices give users access to satellite internet without paying fees.
Political Pressure Behind the Move
The free service followed a phone call between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. President Trump publicly supported Iranian protesters and threatened military action. He told reporters he would speak with Musk about providing Starlink access. "He's very good at that kind of thing," Trump said about Musk on Sunday.
This political push has faced immediate countermeasures from Tehran. The Iranian government has reportedly deployed Russian military jammers to block Starlink signals.
Unprecedented Jamming Technology
Forbes reports that Russian-supplied jammers are targeting Starlink internet in Iran. These devices initially disrupted 30% of Starlink traffic. That disruption has now increased to 80% of uplink and downlink connections.
NetBlocks confirmed the jamming activity to the Times of Israel. The jammers appear to target GPS signals that Starlink uses to locate satellites. This causes localized blackouts across affected areas.
"The service is patchy but still available," NetBlocks told The Times. Experts suspect jamming of Starlink terminals causes the disruptions.
Amir Rashidi of the Miaan Group expressed astonishment at the technology. "I have monitored internet access for twenty years," he told Tech Radar. "I have never seen anything like this in my life."
Background of the Internet Crisis
Iran has been offline for 120 hours as of Tuesday, according to NetBlocks. The government imposed this blackout last week to isolate protesters. The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei-led administration wants to cut off communication with the international community.
Protests began in Tehran on December 28, 2025, after Iran's currency collapsed. Demonstrations quickly spread nationwide. They now rage in at least 180 towns and cities.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports over 2,000 deaths during the government crackdown. This includes 1,850 protesters killed. The protests show no signs of slowing despite brutal suppression efforts.
SpaceX has not made any official announcement about the free service in Iran. The situation remains fluid as technological countermeasures continue to evolve.
