The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) last week announced an expansion of a general license, allowing for a greater range of internet services to be provided to Iran. The measure came in response to a crackdown on internet access by Iranian authorities as protests sparked by the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody swept the country.
"OFAC would welcome any engagement, including if SpaceX or any other company were to have questions about the applicability of this general license," Price said during a press briefing. "There is reason to believe that companies are taking action pursuant to the general license that was issued on Thursday of last week. We do encourage companies that have questions as to whether their software or whether their capabilities are authorized under this general license to reach out to OFAC."
Musk on Friday said that he would activate his "Starlink" satellite internet service in Iran to support the free flow of information to and from the country. However, the technology requires physical terminals to be placed in Iran – an action the Iranian government is unlikely to allow.
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The Biden administration in response to the protests also sanctioned Iran’s so-called "morality police" last week following 22-year-old Mahsa Amini’s death in their custody after being detained for "improperly" wearing hijab.
Iranian officials assert Amini died of a heart attack while in custody, passing away at a hospital where she was taken for treatment.