A Black Market Born From Censorship
When Iran's government cuts the internet — and it does, repeatedly, during protests and political unrest — millions of people are plunged into an information blackout. State media fills the void. Outside voices go silent. For activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens trying to tell their stories to the world, it can feel like shouting into a void.
But a growing underground network is working to change that — one Starlink terminal at a time.
Meet Sahand
Speaking to the BBC World Service, a man who goes by Sahand described how he smuggles SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran. The devices, which connect directly to a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites, can bypass the ground-based infrastructure that Iranian authorities use to throttle or block internet access entirely.
"The real picture," is what Sahand says he's trying to help show — giving Iranians the ability to document and share what's happening on the ground, unfiltered and unblocked.
The risks are significant. Possession of unauthorized satellite equipment in Iran can lead to arrest. The smuggling routes are secretive by necessity, and participants rarely speak publicly. That Sahand agreed to speak to the BBC at all speaks to the urgency he feels.
Iran's Long War on the Open Internet
Iran has one of the world's most sophisticated internet censorship regimes. Major platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter/X, and YouTube are routinely blocked or throttled. During the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests — which erupted after a young woman died in police custody — authorities implemented some of the most sweeping internet shutdowns in the country's history, cutting mobile data access for days at a time in certain regions.
VPN usage in Iran has skyrocketed as a result, with millions of citizens relying on them for basic access to the global web. But VPNs still depend on an underlying internet connection — something a full blackout eliminates entirely.
That's where satellite internet changes the equation. Starlink terminals communicate directly with SpaceX's satellite network overhead, making them far harder to block through conventional means. They've already proved their value in conflict zones, most notably in Ukraine, where they helped maintain communications infrastructure under Russian bombardment.
A Tool of Digital Resistance
The smuggling of Starlink equipment into Iran is part of a broader global conversation about internet freedom and the role of technology companies in authoritarian contexts. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has previously indicated support for making Starlink available in Iran, though the company must navigate complex U.S. sanctions rules that govern what technology can legally reach the country.
For people like Sahand, the legal and logistical hurdles are secondary to the mission. In a country where the government controls the narrative during its most volatile moments, a satellite dish on a rooftop can be an act of defiance — and, for those on the outside, a window into what's really happening.
The clandestine network may be small, but its implications are large: in the 21st century, access to information has become its own form of resistance.
Source: BBC World Service
