US Covertly Pumped Starlinks into Iran to Fuel Unrest

By Staff, Agencies

The Trump administration covertly moved about 6,000 Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran during nationwide unrest earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal [WSJ] reported, reinforcing Tehran’s claims of foreign interference in the deadly protests.

The State Department–funded operation followed Iran’s January internet blackout. Officials told the WSJ that Trump knew of the shipments, though it is unclear whether he personally approved them.

Iran condemned the US and "Israeli" occupation entity for stoking unrest that began as economic protests in December and later turned violent. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said over 3,000 people were killed, including nearly 700 he labeled “terrorists,” along with civilians and security personnel.

President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the US and "Israel" for allegedly planting “foreign terrorists” among protesters, saying they used “ISIS-like” tactics, including beheadings and civilians burned alive.

At the height of the unrest, Trump openly encouraged the “peaceful” Iranian protesters, posting on Truth Social: “All Iranian patriots, keep protesting. Take over your institutions if possible.”

He also promised that “help is on its way,” and deployed a “beautiful armada” to the region, raising speculation of an imminent military intervention.

The State Department backs “internet freedom” tools, including VPNs for Iran, and reportedly redirected funds from those programs to purchase Starlink terminals that helped millions stay online during past unrest.

Washington aims to pressure Iran into a new nuclear deal after Trump’s 2015 JCPOA withdrawal and reimposed sanctions. Iranian officials say decades of US sanctions, second only to Russia, drove the country’s economic decline.

Despite the Trump administration’s public denials, the Starlink operation suggests covert support for what Moscow described as an effort to “destroy the Iranian state” using a color revolution strategy.