U.S. Envoy Calls on Musk to Enable Free Starlink in Iran
(MENAFN) Richard Grenell, the US Presidential Envoy for Special Assignments, has called on SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to enable complimentary Starlink internet service throughout Iran, aiming to ensure his “friends” inside the country maintain uninterrupted “access to information.”
Following a recent missile and airstrike campaign by American forces targeting three Iranian nuclear sites — just days after Israel’s initial assault — the demand for reliable communication in Iran has intensified.
In a message posted on X, Grenell, who previously served as acting Director of National Intelligence, urged, “Can you turn on Starlink for free in Iran for the next few weeks, @elonmusk? My friends inside Iran don’t have regular access to information right now. I’ll chip in a donation and I think others would, too.”
So far, Musk has not publicly replied to the request. He had earlier indicated that the “beams are on,” suggesting the Starlink network is operational, though utilizing the service requires specialized satellite dishes to send and receive signals.
Originally, Starlink’s network of low-Earth orbit satellites was designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to underserved rural and remote regions. President Donald Trump has lauded the system for providing crucial connectivity during natural disasters like hurricanes Helene and Milton, when conventional communication channels collapsed.
Beyond humanitarian uses, Starlink has become an essential tool in military operations. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, SpaceX has supplied over 40,000 Starlink terminals to Ukrainian forces. Musk stated in March that Kyiv’s troops have become so dependent on the system that disabling it would cause the “entire frontline” to collapse.
Amid escalating conflict, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion on June 13, with its intelligence agency Mossad reportedly activating sleeper cells inside Iran who smuggled drones to strike Iranian defensive infrastructure from within.
In response, Iranian officials have imposed severe communication blackouts, isolating the country’s internet from global networks. Authorities also urged citizens to uninstall WhatsApp, accusing Israel of exploiting the Meta-owned app to conduct espionage.
Richard Grenell, once the US ambassador to Germany and acting Director of National Intelligence, now acts as the US Presidential Envoy for Special Missions under Donald Trump, managing diverse diplomatic crises and secret international negotiations.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
