Thousands of Iranians are reportedly using American satellite internet service Starlink to skirt a nationwide internet blackout imposed by the government to quell protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic since the end of December. However, reports indicate that the Iranian government has managed to disable many of the US company's terminals.

Background: On Jan. 8, Iran’s government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown as protests that began on Dec. 29 spread across much of the country. The unrest was initially sparked by the collapse of the Iranian rial, which hit a record low against the dollar in early January, prompting strikes by Tehran’s bazaar merchants. 

Since then, the protests have broadened into a wider anti-government movement. Iranian authorities have responded with a violent crackdown, with at least 3,428 people killed, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization. The true scale of casualties remains difficult to verify due to the internet blackout and restricted media access inside the country.

As a result, Iranians have increasingly turned to Starlink and other proxy tools to get online. There are at least 50,000 Starlink terminals in Iran, according to the New York-based human rights organization Witness, though other estimates suggest the figure could be higher.