The number of Starlink satellite internet users in Iran has surpassed 100,000, a senior industry official said on Monday, underscoring the keenness of Iranians to defy curbs on their access to the outside world.
Satellite internet usage in the country increased 20-fold in 2024 with over 30,000 unique users contributing to the surge, the head of the Internet and Infrastructure Committee at the E-Commerce Association Pouya Pirhosseinlou said.
"Over 30,000 unique users are utilizing satellite internet, suggesting that the total number of satellite internet users exceeds 100,000," he told news agency ILNA. "This indicates that we will likely witness further growth in the use of this technology in the country in the future."
The primary appeal of Starlink lies in its unrestricted free access and high speed, two features largely absent in Iran, which ranks near the bottom of the global Internet Freedom Index.
Starlink gained prominence in Iran following the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests, which erupted after the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in morality police custody for hijab.
The government responded to the demonstrations with internet blackouts and extensive filtering, prompting many Iranians to turn to satellite services like Starlink for unrestricted online access.
In December, Forbes estimated that 20,000 Iranians were using Starlink despite its official prohibition.
Now, with over 100,000 users, the service has become a critical tool for bypassing censorship and government-imposed disruptions.
The US government’s decision to lift certain export restrictions on internet services to Iran in 2022 enabled billionaire Elon Musk-owned SpaceX to provide Starlink access in the region.
Starlink is prohibited in Iran. Government censors have blocked access to apps such as Telegram, Instagram and X as well, and authorities frequently arrest individuals for online statements deemed anti-Islamic or critical of the Islamic Republic.
Pirhosseinlou acknowledged the benefits of satellite internet but warned of its economic impact: “Using Starlink is the most expensive method of internet access, which disrupts the communications economy, drains hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign currency from the country and diminishes hope for domestic improvements to internet services.”
Despite the high costs, the growing adoption of Starlink reflects dissatisfaction with local alternatives, including Iran’s government-controlled fiber-optic internet.
Meanwhile, Iran's government has lobbied the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to exclude the country from satellite internet coverage. Efforts to curb Starlink's influence highlight its role as a contentious element in Iran's ongoing struggle between state control and digital freedom.
The rights organization Freedom House ranked Iran as having the world’s third most restrictive internet environment, criticizing the Islamic Republic for criminalizing online dissent in an effort to increase voter turnout and legitimize presidential polls.
"(Authorities) criminalized any content that encouraged election boycotts or protests, or that criticized candidates ... (for) higher voter turnout to make the election seem legitimate, despite the arbitrary disqualification of most candidates," the group said in a report in October.
The expanding reach of Starlink represents a shift in Iran's internet landscape, offering a lifeline for those seeking unrestricted online access amidst heightened governmental control and censorship.