Iran has become the first country in the world to use mass electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to deliberately block Starlink satellite internet. This could complicate civil society protests within the country. When the current regime cuts off internet access, Starlink has been the last hope for protesters and opposition voices. Now, even this channel is under threat.
How “internet suppression” works
The attack is not directed at the satellites themselves, but at user terminals and critical infrastructure. The Starlink system relies on GPS signals for accurate positioning and connectivity. Iran has long practiced GPS jamming, but now this is combined with a powerful impact on the communication channels of the satellite network itself.
Initially, traffic in the country was disrupted by 30%, but the effectiveness of the attack quickly increased to over 80%. The result was not a complete shutdown, but the formation of a regional communications blockade, especially in areas that were key to the authorities.
Illegal network
This attack was made possible by Starlink’s widespread penetration in Iran, despite its official ban. It is estimated that tens of thousands of terminals are in use in the country. Their availability has become vital for circumventing censorship. “I have been monitoring and researching access to the internet for the past 20 years, and I have never seen such a thing in my life,” said digital rights expert Amir Rashidi.
The cost of maintaining the current regime
The authorities’ measures against protests have devastating consequences not only for freedom of speech, but also for the economy. According to the study, national internet shutdowns cost the Iranian economy $1.56 million per hour. According to NetBlocks, the latest shutdown lasted more than 60 hours, and the country’s connection rate fell to 1% of normal.
“This ‘emergency switch’ tactic reflects the regime’s desperation,” concludes analyst Simon Migliano.
The successful use of electronic warfare against Starlink sets a dangerous precedent. It demonstrates that even advanced commercial satellite technologies are vulnerable to targeted military capabilities.
The future of digital resistance in authoritarian countries will now depend on a new technological race between communication systems and the means of suppressing them.
We previously reported on how Ukrainians pay more for Starlink than the rest of Europe.
According to Forbes
