Iran’s regime is persecuting users of the satellite service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, Starlink, to prevent protests started in the country from gaining global momentum.
Amid brutal repression by Iranian authorities, many protesters turned to the resource to share videos and photos of the massive protests after the regime blocked internet access and restricted telephone services.
According to The Wall Street Journal, upon discovering that Iranians are using the service operated by Musk’s company, authorities intensified efforts to block Starlink, which already faces a ban in the country, and persecute users who use the internet.
Over the weekend, authorities began searching for and confiscating Starlink antennas in western Tehran, according to Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at Miaan Group, a U.S.-based nonprofit that opposes internet censorship.
Rashidi said communications service outages are worst in parts of Tehran where protests are taking place, particularly at night when protesters gather. He classified these regime operations as “electronic warfare”, as publishing videos on social media is one of the few ways to denounce the brutality experienced on the streets during protests and propagate the protesters’ demands.
Human rights groups put the death toll so far at more than 600. In addition, approximately 10,000 people have already been detained. This data, however, is inaccurate precisely due to the difficulty in verifying the information with the authorities’ restrictions.
A member of the Iranian regime even commented to the news agency Reuters that the repression of protests has already left around 2,000 people dead. The source blamed protesters, called “terrorists” by the regime, for the deaths of citizens and security agents in recent weeks.
US President Donald Trump threatened to intervene in the situation in Iran, which generated strong reactions from authorities in Tehran. The White House leader is expected to meet this Tuesday (13) with his advisors to evaluate options for American action.
One of the proposals under discussion in the government, anticipated by Trump, is the sending of more Starlink terminals to the Persian country. The president said on Sunday that he would contact Musk to evaluate this possibility.
