00:00Iran has launched an intensified crackdown on Starlink satellite internet equipment,
00:06with authorities claiming nearly 1,000 devices have been seized and more than 160 people detained.
00:13According to Iranian police officials, 997 Starlink devices were confiscated over the past four months.
00:22Authorities also detained 163 people and seized 15 vehicles allegedly used to transport the equipment.
00:31The figures were announced by Hossein Rahimi, head of the Economic Security Department of Iran's police,
00:39during a news conference reported by Iranian state media.
00:42The crackdown has intensified particularly following the recent conflict involving the United States and Israel,
00:49and authorities say the equipment is being smuggled into Iran through multiple routes.
00:54According to Iranian officials, many of the Starlink terminals entered the country through western and northwestern borders.
01:01Some were reportedly brought through routes connected to Azerbaijan and Iraq's Kurdistan region.
01:07Others allegedly arrived through southern maritime routes involving Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
01:14Authorities claim smugglers have exploited exemptions available to border residents.
01:20They have also allegedly used unofficial routes and even pack animals to move the equipment across difficult terrain.
01:27The scale of the seizures highlights just how aggressively Iranian authorities are targeting satellite connectivity.
01:35Starlink terminals are particularly sensitive for Tehran,
01:38because they can provide internet access without relying on Iran's terrestrial communications networks.
01:44The satellite-based system can potentially bypass infrastructure controlled or monitored by the Iranian government.
01:52That makes the devices especially valuable during periods of internet restrictions,
01:57but it also makes them a major target for Iranian security and economic authorities.
02:02Officials say possession, purchase, sale, and use of Starlink equipment are illegal in Iran,
02:09and those caught with the devices could face serious legal consequences.
02:14Under Iranian law, unauthorized possession or use of satellite internet equipment can result in imprisonment.
02:21Authorities say penalties can range from six months to two years in prison alongside confiscation of the equipment.
02:29More serious allegations involving distribution, importation, or alleged cooperation with hostile entities can reportedly lead to harsher punishment.
02:40The crackdown, therefore, goes beyond simply confiscating illegal technology.
02:45The latest operation comes against a backdrop of repeated internet restrictions inside Iran.
02:51During periods of unrest and conflict, access to the internet and international communications can become heavily restricted.
02:59For some Iranians, satellite connectivity offers a way to maintain access to information when conventional networks are disrupted.
03:07That has made Starlink terminals increasingly sought after.
03:11But Tehran views the technology very differently.
03:14Officials describe unauthorized satellite equipment as a threat to national security,
03:19and to the integrity of the country's communications infrastructure.
03:23Iranian authorities say Starlink's seizures are part of a broader economic and security crackdown.
03:30The same operations have also reportedly targeted illegal cryptocurrency mining equipment.
03:35But Starlink has become particularly controversial because of its ability to operate independently of Iran's terrestrial networks.
03:43Officials say smugglers have developed increasingly sophisticated methods to move the equipment across the country.
03:50And with nearly 1,000 Starlink terminals reportedly seized in just four months,
03:56authorities clearly see the issue as a growing challenge.
04:00Yet, the government's crackdown may not end the demand.
04:04Starlink devices have reportedly been smuggled into Iran for years.
04:08Demand has increased during periods of internet shutdowns, political unrest, and heightened security tensions.
04:15Human rights groups and independent monitors have previously documented arrests and prosecutions connected to the equipment.
04:22The latest figures suggest the authorities are now dramatically increasing enforcement.
04:27The numbers announced by Iranian officials have not been independently verified.
04:32The battle over Starlink is ultimately more than technology.
04:36It is a struggle over who controls access to information inside Iran.
04:42For the government, unauthorized satellite internet represents a potential security vulnerability and a challenge to state authority.
04:50For users seeking alternative connectivity, the technology can provide a lifeline when conventional networks are restricted.
04:57Now, with 997 devices seized and 163 people detained, Tehran is sending a clear warning.
05:06Starlink may offer a connection that bypasses Iran's internet controls.
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