Starlink reportedly made available free to users in Iran amid blackout

Users of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in Iran were reportedly able to use the service for free on Tuesday, Holistic Resilience, a U.S.-based group that helps Iranians get online, said on Jan. 13, 2026. Ahmad Ahmadian, the executive director of Holistic Resilience, told The New York Times that SpaceX waived fees on Tuesday morning and that people in Iran said they did not have to pay to access Starlink amid a near-total communications blackout.

The New York Times said it was not able to verify Mr. Ahmadian’s claim, and SpaceX did not return requests for comment. Bloomberg had reported earlier that SpaceX was offering free service in Iran. The reports come as Iranian authorities have imposed a communications blockade amid mass protests and an apparent crackdown.

Eyewitnesses have said Iranian forces opened fire on unarmed protesters, and the toll of dead and injured remains unclear. Holistic Resilience said Iran had banned Starlink terminals and in October enacted a law with strict penalties, including death, for using the service, and authorities have recently appeared to try to jam satellite internet signals.

Amir Rashidi of the Miaan Group, a U.S.-based human rights nonprofit, said Iranians using Starlink received a software update on Tuesday intended to boost the signal and help circumvent jamming.

Key Topics

Tech, Starlink, Iran, Spacex, Elon Musk, Holistic Resilience