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Human rights groups say Iranian authorities are targeting Starlink users in an effort to prevent leaks of protest footage amid the regime’s ongoing blockade against internet access.
Iran shut down public internet access last week as anti-regime protests escalated, leaving Starlink as one of the few ways Iranians can share photos of the regime’s deadly crackdown.
Starlink is illegal in Iran, but rights groups say they have smuggled thousands of Starlink terminals into the country. Government efforts to shut down Internet access have slowed the service’s connectivity, but users are still able to send footage to trusted third-parties, who can share it on social media, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Iranian military leader threatens preemptive strike after Trump’s comments
A fire is lit during a rally of protesters in Tehran, Iran on January 8, 2026. (Getty Images)
President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that he planned to talk with SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk about boosting Starlink connectivity in Iran.
“He’s very good at this kind of thing, he’s got a very good company,” Trump told reporters.
SpaceX previously worked with former President Joe Biden’s administration to support Starlink access to Iran in 2022 amid protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. Amini, a 22-year-old woman, was hospitalized and later died after being detained by Iran’s morality police for violating the dress code.
Trump says Iran is starting to cross US red lines amid government crackdown killing protesters.
Elon Musk has previously worked to expand Starlink access in Iran. (Chesnaught/Getty Images)
Iran’s current protests arose from economic reasons, with Iranians angry at high prices and demanding the end of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime.
Since the outbreak of unrest, Iranian authorities have killed at least 646 protesters, while thousands more are expected to be confirmed dead. Reuters, citing an unnamed Iranian official, put the death toll at 2,000.
The White House confirmed on Monday that Trump was considering whether to bomb Iran in response to the crackdown.
President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Iran if it continues to use lethal force against protesters. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt told reporters that diplomacy remains Trump’s first option, but the president “has shown that he is not afraid to use military options when he feels necessary.”
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“He certainly doesn’t want to see people killed on the streets of Tehran. And unfortunately that’s something we’re seeing right now,” he said.
Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
