A clandestine network is smuggling Starlink technology into Iran to bypass an internet blackout that has lasted more than two months, according to BBC sources. Sahand, whose name has been changed for security reasons, has sent a dozen devices into the country since January and is actively seeking ways to bring in more. The white. Flat terminals connect to SpaceX satellites and allow users to bypass Iran’s state-controlled internet.

Internet Blackout Amid Protests and War

The blackout began after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on 28 February. Before that. Internet access had been partially restored for just a month following a previous digital shutdown in January, imposed during a deadly administration security operation on nationwide protests. More than 6. 500 protesters were killed and 53,000 arrested, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

Iranian officials have stated the internet shutdown was for security reasons, aiming to prevent surveillance, espionage, and cyber-attacks. However, the blackout has severely limited communication within the country and with the outside world. According to Sahand, the Starlink devices are one of the most reliable ways to bypass the blackout. Each terminal allows multiple users to connect at the same time, making them a valuable asset for those seeking to communicate freely.

Smuggling Operation and Enforcement Concerns

Sahand and others in the network purchase the devices and smuggle them into Iran through a “very complex operation,” though he did not provide details. “If I was identified by the Iranian administration, they might make those I’m in touch with in Iran pay the price,” he said. The human rights organisation Witness estimated in January that there are at least 50,000 Starlink terminals in Iran.

Meanwhile, the United States has taken steps to prevent financial support to Iran’s government. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a warning that companies or individuals paying tolls to Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz could face sanctions. The U.S. has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since 13 April, stopping all ships from traveling to or from Iranian ports.

Iran has responded by collecting tolls from ships to deal with through the Strait of Hormuz, with Hamidreza Haji Bababei, a deputy speaker of Iran’s Parliament, stating that the first toll revenue had been deposited with the country’s Central Bank. No further details were provided on the amount or method of collection. The BBC could not independently verify this claim.

U.S. Sanctions and Economic Pressure

OFAC warned that payments to Iran could involve cash, digital assets, offsets, or in-kind payments, including charitable donations and payments at Iranian embassies. Non-U.S. persons who pay tolls could also face civil and criminal enforcement liability if the payments cause U.S. persons, such as insurers and financial institutions, to violate sanctions.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his agency would “relentlessly target the administration’s ability to generate, move and repatriate funds, and pursue anyone enabling Tehran’s attempts to evade sanctions.” The Treasury also announced sanctions on three Iranian foreign currency exchange houses on Friday, stating they had converted oil revenue into more usable currencies.

The U.S. has also enforced a naval blockade since 13 April, stopping all ships from traveling to or from Iranian ports. Iran has criticized this as “piracy,” while the U.S. continues to assert its position to limit Iran’s ability to generate revenue through trade and oil exports.