As Iran’s tensions deepen with the West, the Middle Eastern country’s parliament has voted to ban Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in the country after the United States and Israeli airstrikes, as per a report.
The new law, which Iran’s Guardian Council is expected to approve within days, also made espionage rules stricter, targeting foreign-backed dissent, as reported by Newsweek.
According to the Newsweek report, while the final approval is pending, the move shows Tehran’s growing alarm over Starlink’s role as a digital lifeline during internet blackouts and a potent symbol in its information war with the West.
If the ban is approved, then the users of the SpaceX-operated satellite service will face penalties of fines, flogging, or up to two years in prison if they are caught, as per the report.
The Middle Eastern country’s latest legislation increases the state’s powers over digital and foreign-linked activities, like criminalising Starlink, and introducing sweeping penalties for espionage and cooperation with foreign adversaries.
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The new Iranian law defines “operational cooperation” with countries like the U.S. and Israel as “corruption on earth”, which is a capital offence, reported Newsweek.
According to the report, the list of offences includes actions like cyberattacks, use of drones or sabotage tools, and accepting funds from foreign intelligence, even without taking action.
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