The clandestine network smuggling Starlink tech into Iran to beat internet blackout

The clandestine network smuggling Starlink tech into Iran to beat internet blackout15 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleReha KansaraBBC Global Disinformation UnitBBCSahand packs a Starlink terminal he is preparing to send to Iran"If even one extra person is able to access the internet, I think it's successful and it's worth it," says Sahand.The Iranian man is visibly anxious, speaking to the BBC outside Iran, as he carefully explains how he is part of a clandestine network smuggling satellite internet technology - which is illegal in Iran - into the country.Sahand, whose name we have changed, fears for family members and other contacts inside the country. "If I was identified by the Iranian regime, they might make those I'm in touch with in Iran pay the price," he says.For more than two months, Iran has been in digital darkness as the government maintains one of the longest-running national internet shutdowns ever recorded worldwide.The current blackout began after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on 28 February. Before that, internet access had been partially restored for just a month following a previous digital shutdown in January, imposed during a deadly regime crackdown on nationwide protests. More than 6,500 protesters were killed and 53,000 arrested, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).Officials say the government shut down the internet during the war for security reasons, suggesting the aim is to prevent surveillance, espionage and cyber-attacks.AFP via Getty ImagesWithout access to independent information sources, Iranians are reliant on media sources that are run by the regime or close to itThe Starlink devices Sahand sends to Iran are one of the most reliable ways of bypassing the shutdown. The white, flat terminals, paired with routers, provide internet access by connecting to a network of satellites owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, allowing users to completely...