Iranian authorities have arrested dozens of people across 19 provinces for allegedly selling SpaceX Starlink terminals through a black-market network, according to the ISNA news agency. The devices have reportedly become especially sought after among opposition and activist networks during a nationwide internet shutdown linked to the U.S.–Iran conflict.
Police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said that since the start of the “Ramadan War,” 48 key members of networks, cells, “anti-revolutionary groups,” and espionage rings had been arrested, and that 139 Starlink devices had also been discovered. Internet-monitoring firm NetBlocks reported that Iran has been in a digital blackout for more than 720 hours, meaning the shutdown has entered its second month.
Before fighting broke out, there were reports that U.S.-aligned activist NGOs had smuggled thousands of Starlink terminals into the country to bypass a ground-based internet cutoff. Starlink terminals connect to satellites in low Earth orbit and can provide internet over hundreds to thousands of miles from ground relays in neighboring countries.
Shortly before the conflict began, black-market prices for Starlink terminals in Iran reportedly surged: devices that typically cost several hundred dollars in the West were said to be selling for as much as $4,000. On March 30, 2026, NetBlocks described the outage as being in its 31st day, while also stating that the blackout had lasted more than 720 hours.
Source: ZeroHedge