Musk says Starlink will seek exemption from Iranian sanctions

Announcement comes amid widespread protests in Iran over the death of a woman in police custody

Some people on Twitter asked SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk to provide the satellite-based internet stations in Iran. Reuters

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said on Monday that the company would ask for an exemption from sanctions against Iran to provide its Starlink satellite broadband service in the country.

Mr Musk made the announcement on Twitter amid widespread protests in Iran over the death of a woman in police custody.

Some people on Twitter asked him to provide the satellite-based internet stations.

Access to social media and some content is tightly restricted in Iran and internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported "near-total" disruption to internet connectivity in the capital of the Kurdish region on Monday, linking it to the protests.

Iran's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iran's mission to the UN and the US Bureau of Industry and Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mr Musk did not specify from which country Starlink would seek exemptions, but Iran faces broad-based sanctions.

SpaceX is aiming to rapidly expand Starlink, and it is racing rival satellite communications companies including OneWeb, and Amazon's as yet unlaunched Project Kuiper.