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U.S. billionaire Elon Musk’s company SpaceX is providing Starlink satellite internet services free of charge in Iran due to the deadly nationwide protests, Bloomberg reports.
Ahmad Amadian, executive director of the U.S.-based organization Holistic Resilience, which works with Iranians to ensure secure internet access, said SpaceX has canceled subscription fees for Starlink in Iran amid widespread internet shutdowns.
Although Starlink equipment is banned in Iran, it is being smuggled into the country. According to Amadian, more than 50,000 terminals are currently operating in Iran.
Iranian authorities have confiscated “a large batch of electronic equipment used for espionage and sabotage,” including devices resembling Starlink terminals.
Bloomberg notes that Starlink’s presence in Iran and other conflict zones demonstrates how the fast-growing internet service has become a tool of soft power for the world’s richest man and the U.S. government. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Iranians to continue their protests and previously called on Starlink to help restore communications in the country.
