Same MO as Ukraine - is he setting up comms for the DS?
US Eases Iran Tech Sanctions To Make Way For Musk's Starlink Amid Protests
It's not often these days that the US administration announces it is easing sanctions on Iran, but that's what the US Treasury Department unveiled on Friday.
It appears a strategy for encouraging protests by freeing up communications and social media platforms. The anti-government protests have now been raging for a full week: "The Treasury Department announced exceptions to Iranian sanctions Friday to allow companies to provide more online services in the country after Iran’s government cut internet access for most of the country amid protests," The Hill reports.
"With these changes, we are helping the Iranian people be better equipped to counter the government’s efforts to surveil and censor them," Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo explained of the new measure.
Specifically the partial sanctions rollback applies to US and international tech companies which are in a position to help the Iranian population access outside secure platforms and services, in the hopes of the freer flows of information, especially on social media platforms. According to the new US Treasury text:
"As courageous Iranians take to the streets to protest the death of Mahsa Amini, the United States is redoubling its support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. "
"Today, Treasury is announcing the expansion of Iran General License D-2, which will expand the range of internet services available to Iranians. With these changes, we are helping the Iranian people be better equipped to counter the government’s efforts to surveil and censor them. In the coming weeks, OFAC will continue issuing guidance to support the Administration’s commitment to promoting the free flow of information, which the Iranian regime has consistently denied to its people."
The Islamic Republic reportedly blocked Instagram and other popular sites this week as part of a broadening crackdown on anti-hijab protests in the wake of the death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini.
The young woman from Iranian Kurdistan reportedly died due to being beaten by police for "unsuitable attire" - or not conforming to Islamic Republic standards of a hijab. She was said to have fallen into a coma after being beaten in police custody. Social media videos have shown protests in various cities spiraling into increased violence, with Western pundits promoting this as a full-on anti-regime "revolution".
US Treasury action appears to have been hastened after Elon Musk urged a lessening of anti-Iran tech restrictions particularly for Starlink shortly after the protests broke out. Musk said days ago he would pursue an exemption to US sanctions on Iran to supply Starlink internet access to the highly sanctioned Mideast country:
"Internet access is an important tool for protesters and activists in Iran, which blocks many services like YouTube and many foreign media outlets in an effort to impose what the country describes as a halal internet, or one that conforms to its interpretation of Islamic law," wrote WSJ.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-eases-iran-tech-sanctions-make-way-musks-starlink-amid-protests