A senior Iranian cyberspace official said on Tuesday that authorities would continue and intensify a crackdown on Starlink satellite internet, which he described as a tool used by Iran's enemies.
Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, made the remarks on 13 October, according to Iran International, Tehran Times and Azerbaijan's APA news agency.
Al Jazeera reported from Tehran that authorities also hinted at further restrictions on the global internet while the US-Israeli war on Iran continues.
Mr Aghamiri called Starlink a "tool of war". He said: "It is a tool used for command and control by the enemy, for espionage and information gathering."
He said Iran had several systems to cut off Starlink terminals but gave no technical details, according to Al Jazeera. He said one of them was used during unrest in the winter.
Al Jazeera and APA said that unrest took place in January. Tehran Times said December.
Tehran Times reported that Mr Aghamiri said about 80% of Starlink data packets in Iran were disrupted during that period. The figure comes only from that report and is attributed to him. No independent verification was found.
Iran International, an opposition-linked outlet, reported that he said Iran could manage terminals from the ground and from space. It also reported that he said the National Information Network was about 60% complete.
The same outlet reported that he said a 32-point cyberspace document would be published soon. These details were not reported by the other outlets named here.
APA reported that Mr Aghamiri said Starlink would be a legitimate target if used for military purposes. He cited the Geneva Conventions.
News.az and APA reported that he said Iran was ready to share the disruption technology with allied countries.
According to Tehran Times, Iran will also intensify efforts through international regulatory channels. It said these would aim to compel Starlink to comply with telecoms rules under the framework of the International Telecommunication Union.
Mr Aghamiri urged Iranians to use domestic platforms supported by the National Information Network, Al Jazeera reported.
Al Jazeera also quoted an official as saying decision-making bodies are sometimes forced to bring down internet speeds. "We don't deny this issue," the official said, according to the report. Al Jazeera said the government supported a tiered internet system that would let selected groups, including traders, researchers and journalists, keep international access during restrictions.
No response from Starlink or its operator, SpaceX, had been reported.
Starlink is run by Elon Musk's SpaceX. It provides internet through satellite links that bypass Iran's filtering.
Starlink is outlawed in Iran on national security grounds. Al Jazeera reported that using or possessing a terminal carries a prison term of six months to two years.
Importing or distributing devices carries up to five years in prison, according to the same report. Cases linked to espionage or national security can carry the death penalty, it said.
The Supreme Council of Cyberspace sets national internet policy. It was created by decree of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2012, according to Wikipedia, which lists President Masoud Pezeshkian as its chair.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran imposed two lengthy state-ordered internet shutdowns in 2026. One lasted three weeks during nationwide protests in January.
The second lasted 88 days after US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on 28 February, Al Jazeera reported.
In January, a Reuters report said Iran appeared to use jammers and GPS spoofing against Starlink. It cited specialists including Holistic Resilience and Nariman Gharib, an Iranian opposition activist based in Britain.
An unnamed Tehran-based expert told Al Jazeera that Iran uses jammers, GPS manipulation, protocol monitoring and physical searches. Al Jazeera also said raids had reportedly been carried out.
Officials hinted at further internet curbs if the conflict intensifies. Iran International said the 32-point cyberspace document was due to be published soon.
