Iran’s government has shut down the internet in many parts of the country amid mass protests. But Elon Musk is offering Iranians a lifeline.
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Musk hopes to provide internet to Iranians cut off from the web. He is seeking an exemption from Iran sanctions to do so.
Protests spread across Iran after the death of a young woman in police custody last week. Masha Amini, a healthy 22 year old, died of a supposed heart attack shortly after being arrested.
Her crime: not wearing the hijab, or traditional veil. Her family denies she had any history of heart problems, per NPR.
Protesters have flooded the streets of the capital, Tehran, chanting “Death to the Dictator.” At least five protesters have been killed by security forces.
The protests are occurring against a backdrop of economic misery. Inflation is over 50% a year and the price of basmati rice alone is up 200% from 2021.
In the face of unrest, the Iranian government has shut down cell service in central Tehran. It has also cut the entire Kurdish region in the northwest off from the internet.
Starlink may be able to reconnect protesters with the world. But it won’t be easy.
Starlink requires a special receiver. The company would have to smuggle large numbers of them into Iran to get people online.
Getting the units into Iran will be difficult. But the receiver is small enough to hide and can support many users at once.
Restored internet will help Iranians coordinate protests. It will also let them shine a light on their government’s thuggery.
I applaud Musk’s work to get Iranians back online. Best of luck!
What do you think of Musk’s attempt to get Starlink to Iran? Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know!
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Photo: “Tesla and SpaceX CEO, and Solar City Chairman, Elon Musk, Sun Valley Idaho, Allen & Company Conference, July 2015” by Thomas Hawk is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
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