LONDON: Iran has declared Starlink’s satellite internet infrastructure a “legitimate target,” state-affiliated Fars News Agency has reported, as the country’s near-total internet blackout enters its second month and authorities intensify their crackdown on unauthorized connectivity.
Fars published an infographic on Wednesday showing the presence of Elon Musk’s satellite internet service in neighboring countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE.
The announcement forms part of a broader threat from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has warned of potential strikes on multiple American technology and defense companies.
According to internet monitoring group NetBlocks, connectivity inside Iran has dropped to about 1 percent of normal levels, leaving satellite services among the few remaining means of accessing the global internet.
The blackout has disrupted personal communications, independent news access and online businesses across a country of 90 million people.
