Iran shuts down Starlink for the first time

In a significant escalation of its domestic surveillance and control efforts, the Iranian government has reportedly deployed a sophisticated "kill switch" to shut down Starlink internet services within the country for the first time. The Forbes report by Zak Doffman highlights that while thousands of smuggled Starlink terminals had previously provided a vital, uncensored lifeline for protesters and activists to bypass state-mandated blackouts, Tehran has now successfully implemented advanced jamming technology to disrupt these satellite signals. Experts suggest the regime is utilizing localized mobile jammers and potentially more aggressive techniques beyond standard GPS interference – tactics mirrored by Russia in Ukraine – to sever the remaining digital connections between Iranian citizens and the outside world. This move marks a critical turning point in the government’s ability to suppress information flow during periods of intense civil unrest, effectively closing one of the last remaining loopholes in its national "intranet" strategy.