Recent developments in Iran have attracted considerable attention. Reports indicate that Iranian security forces are conducting large-scale raids to seize Starlink terminals smuggled through underground channels, with an astonishing number—multiple sources estimate around 100,000 units have been smuggled into Iran. Possessing such devices in Iran carries serious consequences: at best, confiscation; at worst, charges of "espionage" with sentences up to 10 years.

This is not merely a law enforcement action by a single country; it reflects deeper technological warfare and geopolitical struggles. Many see Starlink as Elon Musk's "global internet accessibility tool," claiming it can provide network coverage to remote areas. However, for those concerned with technological politics, the true nature of Starlink is far more complex.

The key fact is: as early as 2018, the U.S. Department of Defense invested $150 million in developing a military version of Starlink satellites through SpaceX. This project is still managed by former senior U.S. military officials and essentially constitutes a "military communication system cloaked in civilian guise." The U.S. military's three branches—Army, Navy, and Air Force—have integrated Starlink into their operational systems, networking it with fighter jets and refueling aircraft, even compressing battlefield decision-making links to under 20 seconds. In a sense, it has become the "airborne nerve center" of modern military operations.

When such a deeply militarized tool appears in regions with tense relations with the United States, it is understandable that various parties' attitudes toward it will change. Technology itself is neutral, but control and usage rights are not.