Iran Activates Starlink ‘Kill Switch’ Amid Protests: Did Russia or China Enable the Jamming?

As nationwide protests stretch into their eighteenth consecutive day, the Iranian government led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has intensified its crackdown. Human Rights groups and opposition sources claim that more than 500 people have been killed so far. Amid the repression, internet access—one of the most powerful tools for coordination and global visibility—has been systematically dismantled by the regime.

On the twelfth day of unrest, when authorities imposed a near-total internet blackout, Starlink briefly emerged as a digital lifeline. With conventional telecom networks shut down, protesters across Iran turned to Elon Musk’s satellite internet service to upload videos, images, and firsthand accounts of demonstrations to the outside world. For a short period, it appeared that Tehran’s information blockade had been breached.

That window has now reportedly closed. According to monitoring groups and digital rights experts, Starlink connectivity inside Iran has been severely disrupted—if not almost entirely neutralized—by what appears to be deliberate, high-powered jamming ordered by the clerical regime.

Initial assessments suggested that roughly 30% of Starlink’s uplink and downlink traffic was being interfered with. However, Iran Wire later reported that the disruption rapidly escalated, with more than 80% of Starlink traffic now affected, effectively silencing the service for most users inside the country.

Specialists believe the Iranian leadership has deployed an advanced “kill switch” strategy, relying on extremely expensive military-grade jamming systems. Such equipment, analysts say, is unlikely to be improvised and may have been supplied by foreign allies such as Russia or china—unless Iran has developed comparable capabilities domestically.

Reports of widespread connectivity failures coincided with a statement from US President Donald Trump, who said on Sunday (US time) that he would speak to Elon Musk about restoring internet access in Iran. Trump also hinted that Washington was considering stronger measures, warning the Khamenei regime of potential “actions” if repression continued.

“We may get the internet going if that’s possible… He [Elon] is very good at that kind of thing, he’s got a very good company,” Trump said, underscoring Washington’s concern over Iran’s information blackout.

80 MILLION IRANIANS IN DIGITAL DARKNESS AS TRUMP TURNS UP THE PRESSURE

By Monday, anti-Khamenei demonstrations had entered their third week. Reports indicate that protests are active in at least 280 locations nationwide. The regime’s response has been severe, with thousands arrested and the death toll surpassing 530, according to opposition-linked estimates.

Protesters, facing spiralling inflation, unemployment, and economic hardship, are demanding the resignation of the theocratic leadership. Chants critical of Ayatollah Khamenei—once rare in conservative religious strongholds—now reflect deep and widespread anger over policies that critics say prioritize regional militancy in Gaza and Lebanon over the welfare of ordinary Iranians.

Demonstrators have also raised slogans supporting Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who has issued statements backing the protests and publicly sought Trump’s help for what he calls the Iranian people’s “fight for freedom.”

Trump, for his part, has repeatedly condemned Tehran’s actions. He warned that the United States was “locked and loaded” and would not hesitate to respond if peaceful protesters were violently suppressed. “You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting too,” he said, claiming the regime had been warned “very strongly.”

STARLINK TARGETED: DISRUPTION JUMPS FROM 30% TO OVER 80%

Iran’s latest internet shutdown began on January 8, at a time when pressure on the Khamenei government was mounting both domestically and internationally. As during the Mahsa Amini protests in 2022, Starlink once again emerged as an alternative channel for uncensored communication.

According to the Associated Press, Starlink usage in Iran has steadily increased since 2022. Current estimates suggest that between 40,000 and 50,000 Iranians now rely on the satellite service, often smuggled into the country due to its illegality.

Even during the 12-day internet blackout amid the July Iran–Israel conflict, some users reportedly accessed the global internet via Starlink, bypassing state controls. That resilience now appears to have been decisively countered.

Following its confrontation with the US and Israel, Iran enacted strict anti-espionage laws banning Starlink and other unauthorized satellite internet services. Under these laws, personal use can result in prison sentences of six months to two years, while alleged espionage-linked usage may carry the death penalty.

Despite these risks, Starlink had remained operational for many protesters—until Sunday, when users reported sudden and near-total loss of connectivity.

“Despite reports that tens of thousands of Starlink units are operating inside Iran, the blackout has also reached satellite connections,” Iran Wire reported, noting that disruption surged from 30% to over 80% within hours.

Amir Rashidi, an Iran expert and director of digital rights and security at the Miaan Group, confirmed that packet loss from Starlink terminals rose sharply from around 30% to nearly 80%, indicating aggressive interference.

HOW IRAN IS ‘KILLING’ STARLINK WITH MILITARY-GRADE JAMMERS

Starlink relies on low-Earth orbit satellites that communicate directly with user terminals on the ground. These terminals depend on GPS signals to locate and lock onto satellites. By targeting GPS frequencies, jammers can effectively sever this connection.

“Iran’s nationwide blackout is a blunt instrument intended to crush dissent,” Simon Migliano, research head at Top10VPN(dot)com, told Forbes. He added that such shutdowns cost Iran an estimated $1.56 million per hour in lost economic activity.

According to The Times of Israel, Iran has intensified GPS disruption since its recent conflict with Israel, enabling localized shutdowns that effectively “kill” Starlink in strategically important areas.

“I’ve been monitoring internet access for 20 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Rashidi told TechRadar, suggesting that Iran is using methods beyond conventional GPS jamming.

He compared the situation to Ukraine, where Russia has attempted to jam Starlink during the war, indicating a similar level of sophistication.

DID RUSSIA OR CHINA PROVIDE IRAN WITH STARLINK JAMMING TECH?

Rashidi told Iran Wire that this level of interference requires advanced military equipment rarely seen in civilian contexts. He suggested that the technology was “likely supplied by Russia or China, if not developed domestically.”

Israeli journalist Emily Schrader reported that Starlink connectivity in Iran showed signs of “total packet loss,” consistent with high-power microwave jamming often associated with Chinese electronic warfare systems. She warned that such blanket interference could also cripple mobile communications nationwide and pose health risks to civilians.

GPS signals are inherently weak when they reach Earth, making them vulnerable to overpowering interference. Jammers exploit this by emitting stronger signals on the same frequencies, drowning out legitimate transmissions.

Russia has used GPS jamming extensively since 2014, particularly in Ukraine, disrupting drones, navigation systems, and even US-supplied Starlink-linked equipment. Similar interference has been traced to Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave, affecting civilian aviation in parts of Eastern Europe.

China, meanwhile, has demonstrated large-scale electronic warfare capabilities in military simulations, including scenarios involving drone swarms and anti-satellite operations. Beijing has invested heavily in anti-GPS technologies alongside its BeiDou navigation system, according to multiple strategic studies.

As Iran’s protests enter their third week, the alleged activation of a Starlink “kill switch” underscores the regime’s determination to isolate its population from the world. With satellite internet largely silenced and millions cut off, attention now turns to whether external pressure—from Washington or technology leaders like Elon Musk—can restore a vital channel of communication for the Iranian people.