According to information provided by The Wall Street Journal, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump conducted a secret operation during which several thousand Starlink terminals were delivered to Iran. This move was a response to internet blockages imposed by Iranian authorities during large-scale protests against the government in January.
The primary goal of this operation was to provide protesters with access to the internet. Sources report that the United States sent approximately 6,000 satellite terminals to Iran, marking the first such direct delivery. The State Department acquired a total of about 7,000 terminals, most of which were purchased amid the January protests. It is claimed that Donald Trump was aware of the shipments, although it is unclear whether he personally approved them.
The cause of the mass protests in Iran was a prolonged deterioration of the economic situation, driven by high inflation and the devaluation of the national currency. Participants in the protests linked the worsening living conditions to ineffective economic management and international sanctions imposed on the country due to its nuclear and missile programs. In response, Iranian authorities accused the U.S. of attempting to destabilize the country and interfering in its internal affairs.
At the same time, Donald Trump made sharp statements warning the Iranian leadership against taking harsh measures against detained protesters.
