Iran hunts down Starlink users as Musk offers free internet service to protesters

Published January 13, 2026 5:56pm ET



The Iranian government is intensifying its efforts to suppress Starlink terminals, going so far as to go door to door to hunt down Starlink users.

X owner Elon Musk’s Starlink terminals have served as a revolutionary way for people in areas without internet access to connect, provided they possess a simple terminal. It has been so effective that the Ukrainian military relies on it for communications in the war against Russia. The Iranian protesters have come to rely on the devices, but technological advancements in Tehran have allowed authorities to suppress their connection. Reports are now coming out that security forces are going door-to-door in some areas to find and confiscate any Starlink terminals.

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