Musk Provides Free Internet in Iran Amid Ongoing Protests

SadaNews - Elon Musk's company "SpaceX" has decided to offer free satellite internet service "Starlink" in Iran, amid bloody protests and a continuous internet outage lasting for days.

"SpaceX" has canceled the subscription fees for "Starlink" within Iran, allowing individuals with receivers inside the country to access the service without payment, according to Ahmad Ahmadian, the executive director of the American group "Holistic Resilience," which works with Iranians to secure internet access.

A source familiar with "Starlink" operations confirmed that the service is being provided for free, requesting anonymity because this information is not publicly disclosed. "SpaceX" did not respond to a request for comment.

A Winning Card in Conflicts

The "Starlink" service in Iran, as well as in other conflict-affected areas, highlights how the rapidly growing internet service has become a soft power tool for the world's richest man and the U.S. government.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump encouraged Iranians to continue their protests and earlier called on "Starlink," which some Iranians are already using despite being banned in the country, to help restore communications.

Musk has previously intervened in geopolitical disputes by providing "Starlink" service for free. "Starlink" satellites have provided internet communications to both Ukrainian citizens and the Ukrainian military since the onset of the Russian war in Ukraine.

In January, "Starlink" announced it would provide free internet service to Venezuelan citizens until February 3, following the U.S. government's arrest of President Nicolas Maduro.

Escalating Unrest and Jamming Attempts

Unrest across Iran has sharply escalated over the past week, prompting hundreds of thousands to take to the streets demanding the ouster of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Activist groups have warned that thousands may have been killed during more than two weeks of violent unrest.

Despite "Starlink" receivers being banned in Iran, many have been smuggled across the country's borders, Ahmadian stated, estimating in a phone interview that the number of available units within Iran exceeds 50,000 units.

Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights at the "Mayan" group, a human rights advocacy organization, stated that the Iranian military is working to jam "Starlink" and is pursuing users.

Authorities Seize Electronic Equipment

The Iranian government's official news agency, "Erib News," reported on Tuesday that authorities seized "a large shipment of electronic equipment used for espionage and sabotage," among which appeared in filmed footage to be "Starlink" receivers.

Rashidi also confirmed the availability of free access to "Starlink" services in Iran.

According to "NetBlocks," a group monitoring internet connectivity, the total internet shutdown in Iran has continued for five days, cutting millions of people off from electronic services.