At the same time as the nationwide internet shutdown in Iran, signs of widespread disruption in the Starlink satellite internet service have also been observed; a move that has severely limited citizens’ access to the outside world and heightened concerns about the violent suppression of the nationwide uprising.
Shortly after 8 p.m. on Thursday, January 8, Iran’s regime cut internet and telephone communications, effectively disconnecting about 85 million people from the global information network.
This action follows a pattern that the Iranian regime has previously employed both during domestic protests and in wartime conditions; a pattern described as aiming to sever citizens’ communication with Iranians abroad in the United States, Europe, and other regions.
January 10: Regime Security forces in Qazvin used live ammunition against protesters#IranProtests #FreeIran2026 #IranRevolution pic.twitter.com/DdJ4lVIK0g
— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) January 11, 2026
Until now, even amid severe sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program, citizens were able to access blocked applications and websites by using VPNs.
However, the new decision has sharply reduced the ability to publish images and firsthand accounts from the nationwide protests linked to the economic crisis; protests that observers say have become the biggest challenge facing the Iranian regime in recent years.
The internet shutdown could pave the way for intensified repression, especially as the U.S. government has warned about the consequences of the continued killing of protesters.
This situation, coinciding with a warning by the Iranian regime’s prosecutor general who labeled participants in the protests as “mohareb,” has caused deep concern among the families and relatives of protesters abroad.
This marks the third time Iran’s regime has carried out a widespread internet shutdown. The first was in 2019, alongside protests over gasoline price hikes, which resulted in the killing of hundreds of people.
The second occurred in 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the police; protests whose suppression left more than 750 people dead.
During the 2022 protests, Starlink played an important role in the transmission of information. Now as well, despite the use of this service being considered “illegal” in Iran, the number of its receivers has reached tens of thousands of devices.
Many of these receivers are in the hands of merchants and individuals who need connections abroad for economic activity, but some of them are now being used to send images and videos of the protests.
However, experts report serious disruptions in Starlink’s performance. In addition to interfering with GPS signals, the Iranian regime is likely using more advanced methods, including mobile jammers, to weaken satellite communications; a method that has previously been used to disrupt satellite receivers.
Although using Starlink carries serious risks for Iranian citizens, including arrest and harsh punishment, cutting off this communication channel could mean silencing the voice of protests at one of the most critical junctures in Iran’s developments.
