The regime pulled the plug. Tehran’s rulers shut down the internet across Iran, silencing millions in the middle of a war they never asked for. No access to news, no way to communicate, no voice left to speak out. But then came a signal from above.
Elon Musk flipped the switch. Starlink satellites are now beaming internet into Tehran, bypassing the regime’s blackout and reconnecting Iranians to the outside world. Musk confirmed the activation on Saturday, writing simply, “The beams are on.” That phrase now carries the weight of defiance.
The timing was no accident. The blackout followed Israel’s massive airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, a campaign that left Tehran scrambling to control the narrative. The Iranian Communications Ministry admitted to “temporary restrictions,” but the reality was far more severe. Entire networks went dark, cutting off access to foreign media and social platforms.
Starlink’s arrival changes the game. The satellite network, operated by SpaceX, delivers low-latency internet from orbit, immune to ground-level censorship. With terminals already smuggled into the country by activists and dissidents, the infrastructure was in place. All it needed was Musk’s green light.
The regime’s grip is slipping. Information is power, and Tehran’s attempt to isolate its people has backfired. Videos of the strikes, messages from families, and calls for resistance are now flowing again. The blackout was meant to suppress. Instead, it exposed the regime’s fear.
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