But isn’t Iran under sanctions? Do sanctions not apply when you are the richest man in the world ?

inglor_cz 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

There is an official exemption for Starlink, and quite logically so, because Internet access outside government control is actually bad for the mullahs and somewhat advantageous for the US.

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syncsynchalt 2 days ago | parent [-]

I didn't know this, so I pulled up a cite for anyone else interested: https://www.reuters.com/world/us-expands-sanctions-exception...

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rvnx 2 days ago | parent [-]

Thank you both! I understand it better now. This is not Elon bypassing the rules but rather that the US wants to support the protests so they make an exemption; so it makes sense from a foreign policy perspective.

I really didn't think it like this.

	▲	mrguyorama a day ago \| parent [-]
		It's the exact same reasoning that drove the NSA to build Tor. Like, enabling widespread internet use in Iran that cannot be censored has been policy for the US.

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helloaltalt 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

I hate the guy but I will genuinely let it pass if this means that we outside people can know what the fuck is actually happening at ground level in Iran and starlink adds even a 0.1% contribution to it.

I hate Elon a lot. but I will hold my grudge some other day if that means that starlink can help outside world to know more and raise internal resistance and support.

Edit: thanks for the downvotes team, turns out that the world is really short and I was reading an forbes article sent to me by someone in here and Ima quote it

The protests inspired the U.S. Treasury and State Departments to provide an exception to sanctions for communications services, and three days later, Musk turned on Starlink service in Iran.

“It requires the use of terminals in-country, which I suspect the government will not support, but if anyone can get terminals into Iran, they will work,” he said at the time. Musk and SpaceX did not respond to a comment request.

So tldr: US made special exception considering the protests (the protests are of the "People had taken to the streets over the police killing of 22-year-old Mahsa"