London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Nov 06, 2026

Musk's Starlink broadband company will seek exemption to sanctions so it can cover Iran

Musk's Starlink broadband company will seek exemption to sanctions so it can cover Iran

The world's richest person has been asked a number of times on Twitter if he can provide the broadband service to Iran. Now he has shared how he plans to do it.

Elon Musk has said his company Starlink will ask for an exemption to sanctions, so it can provide satellite broadband to Iran.

The founder of Tesla and SpaceX posted on Twitter that Starlink is "now active on all continents, including Antarctica".

When a fan asked if it would be possible to supply Starlink to people in Iran, Mr Musk replied: "Starlink will ask for an exemption to Iranian sanctions in this regard."




Starlink is a fast-growing network of more than 3,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit, with tens of thousands of users in the US alone.

Mr Musk, the richest person in the world, has said that it aims to bring high-speed internet access to those in remote and rural areas.

But it is not the first time he has been asked by a Twitter fan about when he will expand the service to cover Iran, where access to the internet is heavily restricted as the government seeks to control dissent.

Mr Musk's promise comes as protests continue in parts of Iran over the death of a young woman in police custody.

Mahsa Amini, 22, was being held by the country's morality police for not wearing an Islamic headscarf, or hijab, to cover her hair.

Police insist she died from a heart attack, but her family said she had no history of heart problems and that she had suffered bruising to her legs.

Internet down in parts of Iran as protests continue


A third day of demonstrations on Monday saw security forces open fire on protesters in her home town, the city of Saqez, in Iran's Kurdish region - claiming the lives of two people.

A further two died in the town of Divandarreh from "direct fire", according to human rights group, Hengaw, with 15 injured and a fifth killed in Dehgolan, also in the Kurdish region.

Netblocks said the internet was out for more than three hours in the region, along with outages in Tehran and other Iranian cities since Friday.



Efforts to revive Iran nuclear deal


Sanctions on Iran have been imposed over recent decades as a result of the country's nuclear activity.

These were eased as part of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action.

But in 2018, then president Donald Trump pulled the US out of the agreement, re-imposing sanctions and prompting Tehran to start backing away from the deal's terms.

Efforts are under way to revive the deal.

Mr Musk has not given any further details about how he will apply for an exemption.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Office for National Statistics Reports Stable Consumer Confidence and Modest Retail Growth Heading into Winter
Welsh Government Launches Strategic Regional Transport Initiative to Modernize Rail Links Across South Wales
Home Office Expands Digital Border Security Controls and Electronic Travel Authorisations for Inbound Visitors
Scottish Government Announces Emergency Housing Investment Package to Tackle Urban Homelessness Crises
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Bipartisan Consensus on Public Sector Pay Reform and Budget Allocations
Automotive Manufacturing Sector in the West Midlands Welcomes New Electric Vehicle Supply Chain Investments
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Approves Offshore Wind Expansion in the North Sea
HM Treasury Finalizes Regulatory Framework for Stablecoins and Digital Asset Markets in London
National Health Service Unveils Comprehensive Digital Integration Strategy to Slash Hospital Waiting Lists
Bank of England Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged Amid Persistent Wage Growth and Inflationary Pressures
United Kingdom and Caribbean Nations Agree to Establish Formal Diplomatic Dialogue Following Reparations Discussions
Cambridge University Appoints Senior Barrister to Lead Independent Review into Death of Academic Jason Arday
Historic Hastings Castle and Kent Dickens Chalet Added to National Heritage at Risk Register Amid Deterioration Concerns
Incoming British Ambassador to Japan Calls for Deepened Bilateral Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence and Semiconductors
Milburn Review Urges Employment Revolution to Unlock Workforce Opportunities for Young Disabled Britons
British Healthcare Worker Evacuated from Democratic Republic of Congo to United Kingdom Following Ebola Exposure
United Nations Refugee Agency Criticises Government Proposal for Thirty-Year Earned Settlement Pathways for Asylum Seekers
Parliamentary Inquiry Warns United Kingdom Remains Exposed to Chinese Critical Mineral Dependencies
Bank of England Prepares Interest Rate Decision as Inflation Pressures Prompt Expectation of Four Percent Benchmark
Department for Business and Trade Overhauls Protection Standards for Digital Animation and Moving Image Files
Intellectual Property Office Introduces Thirty-Month Grace Period for International Product Launches
Intellectual Property Office Targets Anti-Competitive Filings With New Powers to Verify Novelty Before Registration
Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray Praises Regulatory Reforms to Safeguard Small Businesses and Micro-Enterprises
Government Unveils Major Design Framework Overhaul to Protect British Creators and Boost Economy
Global Asset Management Reports Surge in British Dividend Payouts Driven by Strong Financial and Mining Sectors
HM Treasury Confirms Strongest Group of Seven Growth Figures as Fiscal Consolidation Plans Progress
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Approves Construction of New North Sea Offshore Wind Hub
Northern Ireland Executive Finalizes Public Sector Pay Agreements Following Months of Inter-Agency Negotiations
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan Secures Cross-Party Support for Regional Clean Energy Infrastructure Bill
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Investigation Into Dominant Artificial Intelligence Cloud Partnerships
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy Concludes High-Level Diplomatic Mission to Washington and Ottawa
Scottish Government Announces Emergency Housing Investment Package to Address Escalating Urban Homelessness
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Finalizes Corporate Tax Adjustments Ahead of Upcoming Business Investment Summit
National Health Service England Unveils Emergency Winter Resilience Plan to Combat Projected A&E Overcrowding
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Votes to Hold Base Interest Rate Steady at Four Point Seven5 Per Cent
UK Gross Domestic Product Expands by Zero Point Four Per Cent in Third Quarter Driven by Resilient Services Growth
Northern Ireland Executive Agrees on Multi-Year Public Sector Pay Restructuring Framework at Stormont
Department for Transport Confirms Acceleration of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Rollout Along Strategic Motorways
Welsh Government Announces Emergency Funding Package to Support Agricultural Sector Facing Severe Weather Impacts
High Court Rules in Favor of Environmental Coalition Over Government Carbon Reduction Plan Deficiencies
Office for National Statistics Reports Stable Retail Sales Growth Supported by Strong Digital Commerce Volumes
Scottish First Minister John Swinney Secures Cross-Party Support for Renewable Energy Export Expansion
National Health Service Digital Reports Major Breakthrough in Reducing Elective Waiting Lists Across England
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Outlines Infrastructure Spending Reforms to Boost Regional Economic Growth Across Northern England
Bank of England Holds Baseline Interest Rate at Five Percent Amid Persistent Core Inflation Pressures
House of Lords Advances Representation of the People Bill to Modernize Electoral Law Ahead of General Election
Financial Markets and Private Equity Assess Tax and Corporate Realignment Following Recent Chancellor Budget Adjustments
Justice Committee Warns Legal Aid Is a Service in Managed Decline Due to Inadequate Government Funding Responses
Royal Navy Intercepts Russian Intelligence Vessel and Warships Across Intensive North Sea Operations
Business and Trade Committee Slams Government Policy on China as Fragmented and Lacking Strategic Direction
×