Elon Musk Says He Will Seek US Exemption To Provide Satellite Internet to Iranians

Elon Musk wants to provide satellite internet service to Iran, and he is asking the US for an exemption from the sanctions it has placed on the Islamic Republic in order to do so. Actually, his company SpaceX, will apply for the exemption for its Starlink satellite internet service, which already provides satellite Internet service to 40 countries. Musk said he would ask for the exemption in response to a tweeted request by scientist and journalist, Erfan Kasraie. Kasraie called on Musk to provide the service a day after Iran slowed down and in some places shut down internet availability in response to protests against the death of a woman in custody who had been arrested by the morality police for wearing her hijab incorrectly, saying it would be a “game changer for the future.” Sanctions against Iran have been in place for decades, though they were briefly lifted after the signing of its nuclear deal with the world powers in 2015. The US under former president Donald Trump left the deal in 2018 and snapped back the sanctions, though the Biden administration is now working to revive the agreement.