>The biggest issue is getting data out of the country not internal comms

No doubt. Unless there's somebody friendly just across the border in Azerbaijan or Basrah or something, I don't see how they'd do it. Maybe point a dish and establish a point to point link, but you'd need to pre-arrange that.

I think what you are suggesting is more practical today than before, since there are at least a few people who have some sort of access. The real catch is really the prep, or lack thereof. The anecdotes around me is they are hoping (perhaps wishfully) for a total regime collapse and internet freedom relatively soon.