The secretary of Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace, Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, said on Tuesday that Iran has several systems for cutting off Starlink satellite internet terminals.
Mr Aghamiri described Starlink as a "tool of war" for Iran's enemies, according to Al Jazeera. He did not say which measures or devices are used.
"We have several systems for cutting off Starlink satellite terminals," he said, as quoted by Al Jazeera. He also called the service "a tool used for command and control by the enemy, for espionage and information gathering".
Opposition media outlet Iran International reported that he said Iran can manage Starlink terminals from the ground and from space. It also reported that he said Iran has systems to disable satellite and ground-based terminals during internet shutdowns.
Al Jazeera reported that one of the systems was used during the protests in January. It also reported that Iranian authorities were prepared to share the technology with aligned countries.
The claims about Iran's capabilities come from Mr Aghamiri alone. No independent technical confirmation of them was found, and no response from SpaceX or Starlink had been reported.
Mr Aghamiri urged Iranians to use domestic platforms on the National Information Network, according to Al Jazeera. He also backed a tiered-access model, which would give protected international access to selected groups such as traders, researchers and journalists during restrictions.
Iran International reported that he said the National Information Network is about 60% complete. It also reported that he said a 32-point cyberspace document would be published soon. Al Jazeera reported that the document offered no timeline, and neither report gave a date.
An earlier speech by Mr Aghamiri was reported by Borna News, an Iranian news site. It said he told a conference hosted by the Cyber Police, known as FATA, that Iran disabled Starlink terminals during the events of Dey, from December 2025 to January 2026.
Borna News said he called that operation "completely successful". It also quoted him as saying satellite internet infrastructure used as a tool of war could become a legitimate military target.
Starlink is run by SpaceX, which is owned by Elon Musk. Al Jazeera reported that the service is not filtered by Iran's domestic network.
Starlink is banned in Iran on national security grounds, according to Al Jazeera. Using or possessing a terminal carries a prison sentence of six months to two years, and importing or distributing the devices carries up to five years.
The death penalty is possible if espionage or national security charges are added, Al Jazeera reported.
Al Jazeera quoted a Tehran-based telecoms expert, who spoke anonymously, as saying authorities use jamming, GPS spoofing, protocol detection and physical searches. This account comes from a single anonymous source.
Al Jazeera reported that the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026, which led to a prolonged war. It said Iran's 90 million people have had two long state-imposed global internet shutdowns this year.
The first shutdown lasted three weeks during nationwide protests in January. The second lasted 88 days at the start of the war, according to Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera also reported that government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani acknowledged that state bodies deliberately degrade internet connections. It said she described this as protection against cyberattacks.
Al Jazeera reported that since 2023 Iran has pursued the matter at the Radio Regulations Board of the International Telecommunication Union. It said Iran is trying to pressure the United States and Norway, which plays a role in Starlink's regulatory filings, to halt transmissions.
Iran International reported that Mr Aghamiri said the cyberspace document would be published soon. No date had been given.
