- A hidden network is smuggling Starlink devices into Iran to bypass the internet ban
- Iran banned Starlink in 2025, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison for smuggling
- About 100 people have been arrested for possessing Starlink terminals amid ongoing demand, as per a report
A hidden network is quietly spreading its web in Iran, sneaking the global internet into the war-hit country as the technology remains illegal, according to a BBC report.
Internet is virtually banned in Iran, with authorities imposing a blackout in January during massive protests across the country. The ban was intensified in February after a brief relief, as the United States and Israel launched attacks on the country, killing hundreds including its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The sustained ban has created demand. That's where the clandestine network smuggling satellite internet technology into Iran comes to play. As per the BBC report, a few groups in the country are smuggling Starlink devices into the country to keep the digital lights on.
"If even one extra person is able to access the internet, I think it's successful and it's worth it," Sahand, whose name was changed in the report, told the BBC.
The Starlink devices that he sends to Iran are one of the most effective ways to bypass the shutdown, allowing users to completely bypass the tight monitoring of the authorities.
Sahand told the BBC that several people can connect to one terminal at a time as he describes the smuggling of the devices through the borders a "very complex operation".
Internet In Demand Despite Arrests
In 2025, Iran passed a legislation that made using, buying or selling Starlink devices illegal, with the possibility of a jail term of up to two years. The jail term for importing and distributing more than 10 units of the devices is 10 years.
Last month, Iranian state media reported that four people including two foreign nationals had been arrested for "importing satellite internet equipment". There have been multiple arrests so far.
According to an unnamed digital rights group cited by the BBC, an estimated 100 people have been arrested for possessing the Starlink terminals.
But demand has remained constant. Human rights organisation Witness estimates that there are at least 50,000 Starlink devices in Iran as of January, and the number is expected to rise.
According to the BBC, which spoke to a volunteer at the public Persian-language Telegram channel called NasNet, approximately 5,000 Starlink terminals have been sold through the channel in the last two and a half years.
Who Is Funding Iran's Clandestine Network?
Sahand told the BBC that the operation he is involved with is funded by Iranians who are settled abroad, as well as others who want to help those in the war-torn country. This includes the purchase of the Starlink terminals.
According to him, no state funds this operation.
The terminals are sent to people who they believe will share information internationally through the global network.
"People need internet to be able to share what's happening on the ground," Sahand told the BBC. "We believe these terminals should be in the hands of those who really need it to make change."
