Iran jams Starlink, enters fourth day of internet blackout

Iran has entered a fourth day of near-total internet shutdown as the government moves to suppress nationwide protests sparked by hyperinflation and a shopkeepers’ strike in late December. Connectivity to the outside world has dropped by 98%, according to NetBlocks, after the state-controlled Telecommunication Infrastructure Company withdrew routes to Iranian IP addresses and major mobile operators froze services. Human rights monitors report at least 544 people killed and more than 10,600 detained since the unrest began, with security forces opening fire on unarmed demonstrators.

Authorities have kept selected channels online using whitelisted SIM cards for senior officials, state media, and key businesses, allowing government messaging to continue even as most digital services, from card payments to hospitals and schools, stall. The blackout is estimated to cost Iran $1.56 million for every hour it continues. Attempts to bypass the shutdown using Starlink have largely failed, with reports that Iran is using “military grade” jamming equipment that has disrupted more than 80% of the satellite service’s local traffic. Despite the foreign minister’s claim that protests are now “under total control,” footage and messages still emerging from Tehran indicate that demonstrations continue.