Elon Musk’s SpaceX has activated free Starlink internet access for users in Iran, offering a rare communications lifeline as the regime intensifies its crackdown on protests
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is providing free internet access through its Starlink satellite service to users in Iran. The move comes as the country’s regime continues a
violent crackdown on anti-government protests, according to a technology expert in contact with Iranian Starlink users.
Tehran moved to shut down internet access entirely through a so-called “kill switch” strategy. While governments elsewhere have used similar tools in limited, localised situations to contain misinformation during crises, Iran has applied the measure on a far broader scale.
Starlink accounts in Iran that were previously inactive are now connected, with subscription fees waived as of Tuesday, said Ahmad Ahmadian, executive director of the technology non-profit Holistic Resilience. “It’s plug and connect … just put [the satellite terminal] somewhere that has access to a clear view of the sky, and you’re good to go,” he told CNN.
Internet shutdown masks scale of violence
For several days,
Iranian authorities have sharply restricted internet access nationwide while reportedly killing over hundreds of protesters, in what observers describe as one of the regime’s largest-ever digital blackouts. Human rights groups warn the true death toll could be significantly higher, as the communications shutdown has made verification difficult.
‘The only way to get the information out’
The scale of the blackout has made Starlink, in some cases, “the only way to get the information out” to the outside world about protesters being killed, Ahmadian said. With thousands of low-orbit satellites communicating with ground terminals, Starlink has emerged as a key tool of US soft power in closed societies and conflict zones such as Ukraine.
Trump has urged protesters to continue resisting Iran’s leadership, while stating that all options for US support, including military action, remain on the table.
Iran’s ‘Great Firewall’ and jamming efforts
Iran’s rulers have “created their own Great Firewall that blocks everything but approved traffic,” Doug Madory of network monitoring firm Kentik told CNN. He said cutting internet access is relatively straightforward because only two companies connect Iran to the global internet.
Experts say the Iranian government is drawing on decades of experience in mass surveillance and in exporting such practices to countries including Syria. Authorities are also using multiple tactics to jam or degrade Starlink signals inside Iran, according to Ahmadian, including “military-grade” interference similar to methods used by Russia against Starlink terminals in Ukraine.
Risky access despite criminalisation
Digital rights activists have called for wider access to Starlink to bypass state censorship. Although Starlink is not officially licensed in Iran, Musk has previously said the service is active and available. Iranian authorities criminalised Starlink use after the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last year.
Despite the risk of execution for using Starlink equipment, Ahmadian said there was a “surge” in demand for terminals inside Iran following the conflict with Israel.
Starlink connections have provided “a small window” into the crackdown, according to Mahsa Alimardani, a technology specialist at human rights group Witness.
“Estimates say there are around 50,000 Starlink receivers in Iran,” she said. “If that window could be expanded, it could be a boon and even a deterrent to the regime in its efforts to commit what is likely going to be labelled an atrocity under a blackout.”
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