UPDATE 9/26: The Iranian government is now reportedly blocking access to Starlink.com after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said he was activating the satellite internet service for users in Iran. The White House relaxed sanctions to facilitate the move.
Original Story:
SpaceX is looking to offer its Starlink satellite internet system to users in Iran, a country notorious for online censorship. However, the company needs to first secure permission from the US government, which has long imposed sanctions on technology sales to Iran.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk mentioned the idea on Twitter after an Iranian-born science journalist named Erfan Kasraie asked him about bringing Starlink to the country.
“I'm sure you won't answer it, Mr. Musk, but is it technically possible to provide Starlink to Iranian people? It could be a game changer for the future,” Kasraie wrote.
In response, Musk said: “Starlink will ask for an exemption to Iranian sanctions in this regard.”
The US has banned technology sales to Iran since 1995 in response to the country’s nuclear program. As a result, American companies can only directly sell technology products to the Iranian market if they obtain a license from the federal government.
However, the US could make an exception for SpaceX’s Starlink system, which is capable of beaming high-speed internet to rural and remote regions across the globe. In addition, Starlink could help local Iranian users receive uncensored internet access.
Still, it’s doubtful the Iranian government would turn a blind eye to Starlink and permit unregulated sales of the satellite internet service within the country. Iran has already blocked access to major sites including YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, although local users can rely on VPNs to bypass the censorship.
In the meantime, Iran is among the countries Starlink currently has no plans to serve, according to the service's website. Others include China, Russia, Syria, North Korea, and Venezuela, among a few others.
