1. Home
2. Middle East
3. U.S. Covertly Delivers Starlink Devices Into Iran as Regime Escalates Arrests

The U.S. purchased and smuggled over 6,000 Starlink satellite internet devices into Iran, U.S. officials revealed on Thursday, as the regime ramps up its repression against opposition figures.

The devices were sent with the goal of providing anti-regime activists alternative ways to connect to the internet, despite the fact that Starlink terminals are illegal in Iran. Amid the height of the regime’s crackdowns on protesters, Iran instated a nationwide telecommunications blackout, cutting Iranians off from the internet.

The blackout has been gradually rolled back, however, much information about the scale of deaths and casualties during the demonstrations remains unclear. Iranian human rights groups say that over 6,000 protesters had been killed, while some estimates of the death toll reach over 20,000.

President Donald Trump was aware of the Starlink delivery operation as senior officials in his administration made the decision to utilize internet freedom initiative funds towards expanding connectivity within Iran. 

While ensuring protections for demonstrators is notably absent in Trump’s three-point list of demands towards Tehran, this development suggests that Washington continues to view the protest movement as a lever for pressure against the Iranian regime as tensions and nuclear negotiations persist.