Elon Musk to activate Starlink in response to Blinken’s tweet

• SpaceX CEO Elon Musk indicated on Friday that he will activate the company’s satellite internet service, Starlink.
• The new license was self-executing, according to a US State Department spokeswoman.
• Iran has been rocked by protests following the murder of a woman in police custody.

After US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted that the US took steps “to encourage internet freedom and the free flow of information” to Iranians, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk indicated on Friday that he will activate the company’s satellite internet service, Starlink.

In the midst of protests across Iran following the murder of a 22-year-old woman in jail, the US Treasury Department on Friday published recommendations for increasing internet services available to Iranians despite US sanctions on the country.

“Our understanding of Starlink is that anything they give would be commercial grade, and it would be hardware that’s not covered in the general license; so that would be something they would need to write into Treasury for,” a Treasury official briefing reporters said.

The new license was self-executing, according to a later statement from a US State Department spokeswoman, and “anyone who fits the criteria indicated in this general license can proceed with their operations without asking additional approvals.”

For comments or clarification regarding Starlink’s authorization to operate in Iran, Musk could not be reached.

Iranians have been protesting since Mahsa Amini passed away last week in police custody after being detained by the morality police for “unsuitable dress” and being arrested.

On Monday, Musk stated that the company planned to apply for a sanctions exception in order to offer Iranians the Starlink satellite broadband service that was previously given to Ukraine in support of its defense against Russian invasion.

The spokeswoman for the US State Department stated that “OFAC would welcome it and prioritize it” if SpaceX found that an operation directed at Iranians needs a particular authorization.

The State Department official added, “By the same token, if SpaceX decides that their conduct is already allowed and has any queries, OFAC likewise welcomes that interaction.”

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