Elon Musk’s Starlink vs. Iran’s Blackout: Fact-Checking the 20,000 Secret Dishes Reconnecting a Nation
On June 14, 2025, after Israeli strikes, Iran imposed a nationwide internet blackout, and Elon Musk tweeted that Starlink was “The beams are on,” effectively activating Starlink over Iran. The activation made Starlink connectivity available only to users with Starlink terminals, not to the entire Iranian population. Estimates by late 2024 placed roughly 10,000 to 20,000 clandestine Starlink terminals operating inside Iran. Reuters reported in December 2022 that nearly 100 Starlink terminals were active in Iran as SpaceX began enabling Starlink there. By January 2025, Iran International reported up to 100,000 Iranian users benefiting from satellite internet, with official figures