Elon Musk’s big announcement: Starlink internet free in Iran, internet blackout broken amid protests

New Delhi: Amid protests and national internet shutdown in Iran, Elon Musk’s company SpaceX has announced to provide free Starlink satellite internet service. According to Ahmad Ahmadian, executive director of the US organization Holistic Resilience, SpaceX has waived the subscription fee, giving Iranians with existing receivers access to the internet at no cost. A source familiar with the internal operations of Starlink has also confirmed this news, although SpaceX has not made any public statement in this regard.

Experts say that Starlink’s rapid spread into crisis-hit areas has become a soft power tool not only for Elon Musk but also for the US government. The move joins several occasions when Musk has activated Starlink in crisis or war-affected areas.

Starlink is becoming a means of soft power

The increasing use of Starlink in crisis areas shows how quickly the network has become an effective tool. US President Donald Trump openly urged the Iranians to continue the protests and stressed the importance of restoring communications through Starlink. While talking to the media, Trump said that I will talk to Allen because he is a good man. He is very good at this kind of thing. They have a very good company, so we can talk to them. In fact, I’m going to call him as soon as I finish talking to you.

Earlier, Starlink had proved to be a lifeline for civilians and military forces during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Similarly, following US actions in Venezuela earlier this year, Starlink provided free broadband service for a limited period.

Protests and internet shutdown in Iran

Protests have intensified in Iran in the past week, with millions of people demanding the resignation of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Human rights groups say that the death toll in the violence that has been going on for more than two weeks could be in the thousands. Global internet monitoring organization NetBlocks reported that the nationwide internet blackout continued for the fifth day, leaving millions of people cut off from online connectivity.

Starlink receivers deployed in Iran…

Although Starlink receivers are illegal in Iran, thousands of units have been smuggled. Ahmadian estimates that more than 50,000 units are currently active or available in Iran. However, using them is also dangerous. The Iranian military has stepped up efforts to jam satellite signals and identify equipment users.

Impact of international reaction and protests

Nationwide protests have been going on in Iran since the end of December. International reactions have been divided, with some governments calling it a foreign provocation, while others accusing Iranian authorities of reacting violently to protesters. According to activists, at least 2,000 people have been killed so far in the bloody protests against the state. At the same time, Iranian state TV announced to organize funerals for martyrs and security guards on Wednesday.