Iran official says Starlink could cripple Tehran’s internet-control playbook

Iran's Deputy Communications Minister, Mohammad Hafez Hakami, has warned that the growing use of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite-internet service could deal the "final nail in the coffin" to Iran's ability to control cyberspace. Hakami stated that Iran's control over cyberspace is now based on Starlink, and the regime has failed to produce an adequate policy response to the issue.

Over the past two years, Iranian authorities have increasingly restricted internet access during periods of unrest, with the government's response becoming progressively more restrictive. Hakami also suggested that Starlink and direct-to-cell satellite services could render measures such as device registration and user-identity verification ineffective, potentially forcing the government to cut electricity during future crises.

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