[Report by Zhao Jiandong] According to the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) on June 29, the Islamic Parliament of Iran has passed a new legislation that criminalizes the unauthorized use of electronic communication tools, including the Starlink satellite internet service operated by SpaceX under Elon Musk. Violators could face fines, whippings, or up to two years in prison.
German media reports indicate that the law encompasses nine articles, imposing severe penalties for a range of actions deemed threats to national security. Under this law, any “intelligence or action cooperation” with Israel or other hostile countries will be considered illegal, and according to Iranian law, this offense can result in the death penalty. Furthermore, individuals who engage in the production, transportation, or use of deadly or non-standard weapons, military-grade drones or robots, cyber attacks, or infrastructure destruction with the intent to assist adversaries are also subject to the death penalty.
Japanese Y! News reported that it is currently unclear how widely the Starlink service is used within Iran, but the cost may exceed the affordability of most households in Iran. The report suggests that Iran fears that the Starlink satellite internet service might be exploited by Israeli spies to establish contact with Tel Aviv.
The German business news website “Bne IntelliNews” stated that this law was introduced shortly after the end of the conflict between Iran and the United States, reflecting increasing concerns over foreign influence and information control by Iran.
During the period of the Iran-US conflict, US President Donald Trump’s envoy Richard Grenell posted on social media platform X, requesting American entrepreneur Elon Musk to “freely open” his Starlink satellite internet system in Iran “in the coming weeks.” On June 17, Iranian media reported that Israel had launched a “massive cyber war” against Iran’s digital infrastructure. The Iranian Cyber Command stated it was taking multiple measures to prevent enemies from “continuing to exploit infrastructure for cyber attacks and military operations.”