Elon Musk said Monday that Starlink will seek exemptions from sanctions on Iran so that the service can be provided to the country.
Starlink, which Musk said is now active on all seven continents, works by connecting thousands of satellites in low-earth orbit with user terminals on the ground.
Internet monitor NetBlocks reported that there was a telecommunications blackout in parts of the Kurdistan province in Iran on Monday amid widespread protests over the death of a Kurdish-Iranian woman in police custody last week.
Iran’s morality police arrested Mahsa Amini, 22, on Sept. 14 and allegedly accused her of failing to properly wear her hijab. She fell into a coma while being detained and died three days later.
ELON MUSK SAYS SPACEX, APPLE HAVE HAD ‘SOME PROMISING CONVERSATIONS’ ABOUT STARLINK CONNECTIVITY
Aside from internet disruptions, there are also tight restrictions on social media and other content in Iran.
Starlink has set up service in disaster and emergency situations in the past.
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SpaceX sent a shipment of Starlink user terminals to Ukraine in February just days after Russia invaded, causing disruptions to internet service there.
Starlink also sent user terminals to the south Pacific islands in Tonga earlier this year after a volcano erupted and cut off the island’s internet.
