SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has reportedly dropped its fees, enabling more people in Iran to bypass the government’s most aggressive efforts yet to restrict information flow, according to activists.
Although Elon Musk’s SpaceX has not officially announced the move and did not respond to requests for comment, activists say Starlink access has been available free of charge since Tuesday to users in Iran who already possess the required satellite receivers.
The development comes as Iranian authorities intensify internet restrictions amid a renewed wave of anti-government protests and violent crackdowns. Starlink, which provides satellite-based internet connectivity independent of local infrastructure, has emerged as a vital tool for activists seeking to communicate with the outside world despite state-imposed shutdowns.
“Starlink has been crucial,” said Mehdi Yahyanejad, an Iranian activist and founder of the nonprofit organisation Net Freedom Pioneers, which has helped smuggle Starlink terminals into Iran.
Yahyanejad cited graphic footage that surfaced on Sunday showing rows of bodies at a forensic medical centre near Tehran as an example of the technology’s impact.
“That footage showed a few hundred bodies on the ground, and it came out because of Starlink,” he said in an interview from Los Angeles. “Those videos changed people’s understanding of what is happening because they could see it with their own eyes.”
Starlink remains officially banned in Iran, but its use has reportedly expanded among protesters and activists determined to keep communication channels open amid escalating government censorship and surveillance.
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