SpaceX has activated free Starlink internet access in Iran, a local activist group said on Jan. 13, after Iranian authorities shut down internet and communications in response to anti-government protests in the country.
In a
post on X, the Iranian activist group Nasnet said that Elon Musk’s Starlink has waived subscription fees for users in Iran following talks between NasNet, Starlink, and U.S. authorities.
“After weeks of continuous efforts, negotiations, and discussions with the Starlink team and United States authorities, we have successfully provided access to Starlink for free to serve the revolution,” it stated.
“All you need to do is turn on the device. Don't forget physical camouflage, hiding the Starlink IP, and changing the wireless network name,” the group advised Iranian users.
Filterbaan, an Iranian digital and internet access rights group, reposted NasNet’s statement on social media, affirming that Iranian users now have free access to Starlink internet service.
“This is a fact and no longer a rumor,” Filterbaan
stated on X.
The Epoch Times reached out to SpaceX for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, has been
used in other nations mired in unrest or conflict, such as Ukraine. The company recently
made its service free in Venezuela after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
President Donald Trump
told reporters on Jan. 11 that he would speak with Musk about restoring internet access in Iran.
“As you know, he’s very good at that kind of thing. He’s got a very good company. So we may speak to Elon Musk, and heck, I’m going to call him as soon as I’m finished with you,” Trump said aboard Air Force One.
The president had earlier warned Iran that the United States would intervene if the regime escalates its use of lethal force against protesters.
“If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he
stated on Truth Social on Jan. 2.
Nationwide anti-government protests in Iran, sparked by soaring inflation and the collapse of the Iranian rial, entered their third week on Jan. 13, as the Iranian regime continued its violent crackdown on protesters and imposed an internet shutdown.
Human Rights Activists in Iran
said the nationwide internet shutdown has disrupted access to vital information and emergency services, and complicated efforts for organizations to independently document and verify abuses committed by law enforcement during the crackdown.
As of Jan. 13, at least 2,403 protesters and 147 security forces and government supporters have died since the onset of the protests,
according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which relies on supporters in Iran to cross-check its information. The actual number is feared to be much higher due. Around 18,434 people have been detained during the protests, HRANA stated.
Guy Birchall contributed to this report.
