Iranian security forces seized 997 Starlink satellite devices and detained 163 people in a crackdown on an alleged U.S. spy network [1].
The operation highlights Iran's intensifying efforts to block unauthorized satellite internet access, which the government views as a tool for foreign intelligence gathering and internal destabilization.
The Iranian Economic Security Police, led by Chief Hossein Rahimi, carried out the operation [1]. Authorities said the network used the satellite equipment to gather intelligence for the U.S. [2]. In addition to the satellite terminals, security forces seized 15 vehicles [1].
According to official reports, the equipment entered the country through western and northwestern borders [1]. Specifically, the devices were smuggled via Azerbaijan and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq [1].
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, provides high-speed internet via a constellation of low-earth orbit satellites. While the service is used globally, it is banned in Iran. The Iranian government has previously warned that the possession and use of such devices constitute a national security threat.
The seizure of nearly 1,000 devices suggests a coordinated effort to establish a communication infrastructure that bypasses the state-controlled internet. This operation reflects a broader pattern of security sweeps targeting technology that allows citizens to circumvent the national firewall, a priority for the Economic Security Police in maintaining digital sovereignty.
“Iranian security forces seized 997 Starlink satellite devices”
This crackdown underscores the geopolitical tension between Iran and the U.S. over digital borders. By framing the use of Starlink as espionage rather than simple censorship circumvention, Tehran justifies severe security measures to prevent the establishment of an independent communication network that could be used to coordinate protests or transmit intelligence.
