US Treasury Department: Export of some satellite internet equipment to Iran does not require a license
The US Treasury Department announced on Tuesday that some internet satellite equipment is allowed to be exported to Iran, meaning that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will likely not need a license to provide Starlink internet services in Iran.
Elon Musk said on Monday that his company would seek exemption from Iran sanctions. “Starlink will seek exemption from Iran sanctions in this regard,” he wrote in response to an Iranian Twitter user asking if Starlink could provide internet services to the people of Iran.
Mr. Musk's tweet does not provide details about his plan to provide satellite internet to Iran, but the tweet coincides with widespread protests in various Iranian cities over the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Ershad Patrol.
Many Twitter users, given the restrictions on access to social networks in Iran, had asked Elon Musk to establish satellite internet stations for the people of Iran.
A spokesperson for the US Treasury Department said in a statement that the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a long-term license that allows the export of certain hardware, software, and Internet communications services, including the export of certain satellite terminals.
The announcement adds that while existing licenses do not cover certain services and equipment that support Internet freedom in Iran, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control welcomes applicants who intend to do so.
The people of Ukraine have previously had the experience of using Starlink satellite internet when Russian attacks caused severe disruptions to the internet .
The Iranian government uses internet disruptions and shutdowns as a tool to counter protests, including cutting off the internet across the country for several days during the November 2019 protests.
Source: Radio Farda
