U.S. Admission: Iran Brings Down “Starlink” for the First Time Using Advanced Electronic Jamming
Forbes magazine acknowledges Tehran’s success in disrupting satellite internet and turning it into intelligence “dead zones” inside major cities
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The American magazine Forbes acknowledged, in a recent report, that Iranian authorities have succeeded in disrupting the Starlink satellite internet service on a wide scale inside the country, in a precedent considered the first of its kind since the service began being used during periods of unrest and digital blackouts.
The magazine described the development as a major technological shift in the field of electronic warfare, noting that Starlink—owned by U.S. businessman Elon Musk—had represented a key tool for communication and coordination among activists and protesters during periods when internet access was cut inside Iran.
Electronic shield and military-grade jamming devices
According to specialists and technical reports cited by Forbes, Iran did not rely this time on traditional blocking measures alone, but instead deployed what was described as an “Electronic Shield”, by installing hundreds of high-power, military-grade jammers in major cities and areas described as “hotspots.”
The magazine noted that these advanced technologies led to the disruption of satellite connectivity within hours, achieving control over more than 80% of Starlink receivers deployed inside the country.
Intelligence dead zones in Tehran and other cities
Forbes quoted a Hebrew newspaper as saying that the spread of prohibited Starlink devices inside Iran was broader than during previous blackout waves, but that Iran’s rapid response resulted in the creation of complete “dead zones” at the intelligence level, particularly in Tehran, Shiraz, and Kermanshah.
GPS jamming cripples satellite communications
The report explained that Starlink receivers rely primarily on the Global Positioning System (GPS) to connect with satellites, noting that Iran has, since the Zionist–American aggression in June 2025, carried out intensive jamming operations against GPS signals.
This caused Starlink dishes to be unable to determine the positions of satellites in their orbits, especially after the service was allegedly used—according to the report—for intelligence purposes by the occupation entity and Western agencies.
NetBlocks: unprecedented internet outage
In the same context, the internet monitoring organization NetBlocks reported that network outages in Iran lasted for more than 60 consecutive hours, while overall national connectivity dropped to around just 1% of normal levels, reflecting the vast scale of the digital blackout.
Message to the outside world and advanced electronic warfare capabilities
Military analysts believe that Iran’s success in disabling Starlink would cripple field coordination with external actors and sever communication channels that had relied on encrypted applications operating via satellite internet.
They considered the move a direct message to the United States and “Israel” that Tehran is capable of exercising full control over its information space, despite political and technological pressures.
Shock to the space technology sector
Forbes concluded its report by noting that this development represents a shock to the space and communications technology sector, warning that if the effectiveness of such ground-based methods in disrupting satellite signals is confirmed, SpaceX will be forced to redesign its communication protocols to confront future military threats.
