President Trump has asked Elon Musk to restore Starlink service in Iran, where the government is jamming signals during violent anti-regime protests. SpaceX was reportedly already working to bypass the internet shutdown before the request. The Iranian regime has severed most connectivity, leading to a severe crackdown and thousands of reported casualties as citizens struggle to communicate.

Iranian authorities have declared Starlink illegal, confiscating dishes in Tehran despite a US license allowing American companies to provide internet services. The government's jamming has grown more sophisticated, degrading uploads to stop the flow of protest videos. Experts describe the interference as military-grade, creating unstable connections similar to intermittent dial-up speeds rather than a complete blackout.

Despite the interference, Starlink remains partially operational. A collaboration between SpaceX and the group NasNet reportedly reduced packet loss from 80 percent to 10 percent, though they warn it is a "cat and mouse" game. Internet monitoring groups confirm Iran's global connectivity has dropped to just one percent, effectively cutting off the public from the outside world.