The Wall Street Journal reported that since the beginning of 2026, the administration of President Donald Trump has secretly transferred approximately 6,000 Starlink terminals into Iran.
According to the report, the terminals were provided directly to protesters, activists, and opponents of the Islamic Republic to help them bypass government-imposed internet restrictions and deliberate nationwide shutdowns.
This operation—described as the first direct and organized delivery of Starlink equipment into Iranian territory—was reportedly carried out through coordination between Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and certain U.S. State Department officials, including Mora Namdar.
The Wall Street Journal stated that part of the budget previously allocated for the development and distribution of VPN services in Iran was redirected to fund this project.
The terminals were allegedly smuggled into the country through unofficial routes using underground networks.
The primary objective was to ensure stable internet access for protesters following the December 2025–January 2026 uprising, which, according to human rights sources, resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.
The report also noted that the initiative took place amid intense internal debates within the U.S. government and among security officials.
The main concern was the potential risk of the Iranian authorities tracking the geographic location of users, which could lead to the rapid identification and arrest of those receiving the terminals.
Nevertheless, supporters of the project argued that in the context of a complete internet blackout, Starlink represented the only viable means of maintaining communication between protesters and the outside world.
