Iranian Khamenei Militia Raids Homes to Seize Starlink, Deepening Blackout to Hide Mass Killings

Amid an unprecedented wave of anti-Khamenei protests that have reportedly left more than 2,000 people dead, Iran’s ruling clerical regime has intensified its crackdown on the last remaining channel of independent communication: Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet. Days after deploying advanced, military-grade jammers to disrupt satellite signals, security forces loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have begun conducting door-to-door raids, seizing Starlink dishes and hunting down users across major cities.

With Iran under a near-total internet blackout, Starlink had emerged as a critical digital lifeline for protesters seeking to transmit images and videos of the unrest to the outside world. According to multiple reports, Tehran initially managed to disrupt nearly 80 per cent of Starlink traffic using sophisticated electronic warfare tools. However, unable to fully silence the flow of information, the regime has now moved aggressively on the ground to eliminate access points altogether.

The escalation reflects mounting desperation within the Iranian establishment as reports of mass casualties continue to surface despite state-imposed digital darkness. While ordinary Iranians remain cut off from the global internet, officials and regime loyalists have shifted their communications to a secure, state-controlled “whitelist” network, ensuring uninterrupted coordination even as protests are violently suppressed.

The renewed restrictions follow remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said he would speak with Elon Musk about restoring internet access in Iran. Trump has repeatedly warned the Khamenei regime against brutal repression and has hinted at possible actions, as Washington reportedly weighs a range of responses, according to CBS News.

Homes Raided, Starlink Equipment Seized Across Tehran

According to Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at the US-based nonprofit Miaan Group, Iranian authorities began raiding homes in western Tehran over the weekend to confiscate Starlink dishes. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Rashidi described the campaign as a form of “electronic warfare”, noting that operations intensified in protest hotspots and during evening hours when demonstrations typically peak.

Berlin-based bne IntelliNews, citing opposition sources and social media posts, reported that Iranian security forces have been searching residential buildings systematically, apartment by apartment, to seize satellite dishes and Starlink hardware. Persian-language alerts circulated online warned users that Starlink disruptions had become more severe and widespread by January 12.

For decades, Iranians have relied on satellite technology to bypass the regime’s strict information controls. Although the possession and use of satellite equipment was formally banned in 1994, millions continued to use dishes discreetly. In the 2000s and 2010s, police and the IRGC-affiliated Basij militia became notorious for rappelling down apartment blocks to remove satellite dishes as part of campaigns against what the regime labeled a “Western cultural invasion.”

According to a 2025 report by Iran International, such crackdowns intensify every time anti-regime protests erupt — a pattern now repeating itself with Starlink.

How Banned Starlink Helped Expose Mass Killings

The global community became aware of the scale of the current uprising — now spread across more than 280 locations and entering its third week — largely due to images and videos smuggled out via Starlink. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that nearly 2,000 people, including members of the security forces, have died during the unrest.

Despite a nationwide internet shutdown, protesters managed to transmit footage using Starlink devices that were smuggled into Iran through Iraq and Persian Gulf states. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, co-founder of Norway-based Iran Human Rights, told The Wall Street Journal, “It is the only way,” underscoring the platform’s critical role.

One haunting message shared by opposition sources read: “This may be my last message to you… Remember every house, every satellite dish, every Starlink — just like the 1990s.” Iranian activist Ilya Hashemi told bne IntelliNews that the regime is deliberately deepening the digital blackout “to hide mass killings.”

Meanwhile, videos circulating online — including footage reportedly from a morgue in south Tehran — have shown rows of bodies, reinforcing fears of large-scale casualties. Iran International said the visuals point to a far higher death toll than officially acknowledged.

Digital Darkness for Citizens, ‘Whitelist’ Internet for the Regime

While nearly 90 million Iranians remain plunged into digital isolation, the clerical establishment continues to operate seamlessly. According to Iran International, the regime, its media outlets, and loyalists enjoy full internet access through a carefully curated whitelist of approved addresses.

At the same time, state-backed demonstrations are being organized to project an image of control. Tens of thousands of pro-government supporters gathered in Tehran on Monday, according to The Guardian, with state television broadcasting scenes from rallies branded as an “uprising against American-Zionist terrorism.”

What began as protests driven by economic hardship has now evolved into a nationwide challenge to the Khamenei regime. Demonstrations have swept across provinces, including Kurdistan, with protesters openly demanding an end to clerical rule. The prolonged internet shutdown has further crippled businesses already battered by Sanctions, inflation, and strikes, with economists estimating losses running into billions of dollars.

In modern uprisings, communication is power. By raiding homes and confiscating Starlink equipment, the Khamenei regime is attempting to sever the last remaining link between Iranians and the outside world — even as it relies on encrypted, privileged networks to coordinate repression and suppress dissent.