Starlink Activates Free Internet Access in Iran Amid Violent Clampdown, Nonprofit Says

Iranian group NasNet stated that it has discussed with Starlink and U.S. authorities about restoring internet in Iran.

Iranian demonstrators gather in a street during a protest over the collapse of the currency's value, in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 8, 2026. (Stringer/WANA via Reuters

SpaceX has activated free Starlink internet access in Iran, a local activist group stated on Jan. 13, after Iranian authorities shut down internet and communications in response to anti-government protests in the country.

In a post on X, the Iranian activist group NasNet stated that Elon Musk’s Starlink has waived subscription fees for users in Iran following talks between NasNet, Starlink, and U.S. authorities.

“After weeks of continuous efforts, negotiations, and discussions with the Starlink team and United States authorities, we have successfully provided access to Starlink for free to serve the revolution,” the post reads.

The group also advised Iranian users on how to use the service.

“All you need to do is turn on the device,“ it stated. ”Don’t forget physical camouflage, hiding the Starlink IP, and changing the wireless network name.”

Filterbaan, an Iranian digital and internet access rights group, reposted NasNet’s statement on social media, affirming that Iranian users now have free access to Starlink internet service.

“This is a fact and no longer a rumor,” Filterbaan stated on X.

NasNet stated on Jan. 11 that it has collaborated with the Starlink technical team to reduce packet loss caused by the regime’s signal jamming efforts from 35 percent to nearly 10 percent but warned that the regime’s continued attempts to jam Starlink signals could continue to degrade internet service.

“The interference issue is an ongoing game of cat and mouse; therefore, conditions may change again or even worsen. Nevertheless, we will not stop our efforts,” the group stated on X, according to a translation.

The Epoch Times reached out to SpaceX for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

Starlink, operated by SpaceX, has been used in other nations mired in unrest or conflict, such as Ukraine. The company recently made its service free in Venezuela after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Jan. 11 that he would speak with Musk about restoring internet access in Iran.

“As you know, he’s very good at that kind of thing. He’s got a very good company. So we may speak to Elon Musk, and heck, I’m going to call him as soon as I’m finished with you,” Trump said aboard Air Force One.

The president had earlier warned Iran that the United States would intervene if the regime escalates its use of lethal force against protesters.

“If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he said on Truth Social on Jan. 2.

Nationwide anti-government protests in Iran, sparked by soaring inflation and the collapse of the Iranian rial, entered their third week on Jan. 13, as the Iranian regime continued its violent clampdown on protesters and imposed an internet shutdown.

Human Rights Activists in Iran stated that the nationwide internet shutdown has disrupted access to vital information and emergency services and complicated efforts for organizations to independently document and verify abuses committed by law enforcement during the clampdown.

As of Jan. 13, at least 2,403 protesters and 147 security forces and government supporters have died since the onset of the protests, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which relies on supporters in Iran to cross-check its information. The actual number is feared to be much higher. About 18,434 people have been detained during the protests, HRANA stated.

Guy Birchall contributed to this report.