Iran says it seized hundreds of Starlink terminals, state media reports

Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced on Tuesday that it has confiscated hundreds of Starlink satellite internet systems during a nationwide operation, as reported by Iranian state media. The Ministry stated, “The locations of the satellite systems were found, and the illegal activities of their users were observed and controlled,” according to Iran’s Mehr News and Tasnim News. The Ministry added, “This operation will keep going until all satellite internet terminals that assist the enemy are completely identified.” They also noted, “Using illegal Starlink systems is a crime under the law, and during wartime, it can lead to severe punishments.” For context, Iran's internet blackout is now in its 18th day, according to the internet monitoring group Netblocks. Despite this, the Iranian people are among the most skilled globally at bypassing internet restrictions. One of the main tools they use is satellite internet, including Elon Musk's Starlink, which has been made available for free in Iran. It is estimated that in a country with around 92 million residents, only about 50,000 Starlink terminals have been smuggled in, according to digital activists referenced by FreedomHouse. However, these estimates can differ.