US EditionMusk Updates Starlink To Beat Iran’s ‘Kill Switch’—Makes It Free
Starlink offers free satellite internet in Iran, helping bypass government blackouts during protests and enabling crucial external news sharing.
- On Jan. 14, reports said Starlink, SpaceX satellite internet service, is offering free access in Iran amid a near‑nationwide communications blackout, though SpaceX had not posted on X.
- Iran's government has almost completely shut down internet services as antigovernment protests enter their third week, with analysts saying this blackout is more extensive than past outages due to its geographic scope and phone restrictions.
- Smuggled Starlink terminals have entered Iran since 2022 without a licence, Iranian state media showed confiscated equipment Tuesday, while NasNet reported reduced jamming from about 35% to about 10%.
- Starlink has helped relay images and videos of the protests, while the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported at least 2,571 deaths obscured by connectivity loss.
- Starlink is not licensed in Iran and the International Telecommunication Union ruled its deployment illegal in 2023, while President Donald Trump said he would speak to Elon Musk about restoring access.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Musk’s Starlink increasingly vital to protests
Starlink has become central to geopolitical flashpoints around the world, allowing citizens to bypass government-imposed internet blackouts. The satellite broadband network allowed information about Iran’s protests to leak out, and owner Elon Musk has made it free for users there. He has done the same in Venezuela, where US attacks and a government crackdown have limited traditional internet access. Myanmar’s anti-government rebels — and a burge…
The Iranian population has been in isolation since 8 January 2026. Cut off from any Internet access, it can no longer transmit images and videos of the ongoing crackdown. Is it possible to bypass this blackout? Benoît Grünemwald, an expert in cyber security, answers for " Marianne".
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