Things are looking increasingly grave in the Middle East, and as Iran and Israel continue to exchange missiles in a bloody war of tech, there are questions about whether the likes of Europe and the USA are going to step in, and which side they’ll ally with.

While we’ve already been warned we were amid World War III without knowing it, one of Vladimir Putin’s generals has thrown fuel on the fire by asking the Russian President to mobilize one million troops.

Elsewhere, President Donald Trump is said to have left Canada’s G7 summit early as things escalate between Iran and Israel. Being unusually quiet on the situation (for once) is Elon Musk, who might still be licking his wounds following an explosive falling out with the POTUS. Musk’s timeline is full of all his usual promotion of Tesla, also hyping his Starlink expansion.

Iran has imposed ‘temporary’ restrictions on its internet (Getty Images / Stringer / Getty)

Musk recently activated Starlink in Iran, giving its 90,000,000 residents access to the internet in a time when restrictions have led to a blackout. The world’s richest man said, “The beams are on,” as he brought the World Wide Web back to the country.

While it might seem like the tech billionaire is doing good and bringing communications to Iran’s citizens in a time of global panic, one petition is calling for him to do more.

It’s all well and good to activate Starlink in Iran, but with it boasting a hefty monthly subscription cost, many simply can’t afford it.

The Ekō petition is titled “Elon Musk: Keep your word to the Iranian people” and calls for him to drop Starlink’s $110 monthly fee for Iranians.

Saying that the Iranian people are facing “mass arrests, the execution of protesters, and internet blackouts plummeting an entire nation into darkness,” the petition wants Musk to remove the fee because even those who could afford the $110 don’t have access to a credit card to pay it.

Saying that enough people joining the cause will lead to an advocacy and media blitz targeting Musk, the petition adds: “Elon wants to take credit for connecting the Iranian people, but he is opting for optics over substance.

“A shadow web could be effective in Iran with as few as 5,000 Starlink dishes. The least Elon should do is to waive Starlink’s monthly subscription fees in Iran.”

Saying that Musk removed fees in Ukraine when it was under siege from Russia, the page accuses the government of trying to “disconnect the Iranian people from the global internet completely” for its own benefit.

It ends with a grim warning, saying: “Under the cover of darkness, it [the Iranian government] uses violence and isolation to break people’s spirits and to crush their efforts to build a more free and just society.”

Over to you, Mr. Musk.

The debate over Elon Musk’s Starlink initiative in Iran has erupted into a global flashpoint, highlighting the complex intersection of technology, human rights, and geopolitics. As the Middle East teeters on the edge of wider conflict, Musk’s decision to activate Starlink for Iran’s 90 million residents has been both lauded as a bold move for freedom and criticized for falling short of true accessibility.

For many Iranians, the restoration of internet access via Starlink is a lifeline—an essential tool for communication, organizing, and bearing witness to events as their country faces mounting turmoil. But activists argue that Musk’s gesture, while headline-grabbing, is undermined by the prohibitive $110 monthly subscription fee. The Ekō petition, which has rapidly gained traction online, frames the issue starkly: “What use is internet freedom if it’s priced out of reach for the very people who need it most?”

The petition draws a sharp contrast with Musk’s actions in Ukraine, where Starlink fees were reportedly waived during Russia’s invasion. “Why is Iran different?” asks Niloofar, an Iranian activist now living in exile. “If Musk truly believes in free speech and open access, he must remove every barrier—not just government censorship, but economic ones too.”

Financial inaccessibility isn’t the only hurdle. The Iranian banking system is isolated from the global market, leaving most citizens without the means to pay for Starlink, even if they could afford it. “It’s not just about the money,” says Ali, a student in Tehran. “We literally have no way to transfer funds or use international credit cards. The system is stacked against us.”

The stakes are high. Human rights groups warn that the blackout imposed by Iranian authorities enables crackdowns on dissent and shields abuses from global scrutiny. “Internet access isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline,” said a spokesperson for Amnesty International. “In times of crisis, it can mean the difference between life and death.”

Supporters of the petition vow to keep up the pressure on Musk and SpaceX, promising a wave of advocacy and media campaigns until the fee is waived. Meanwhile, Starlink’s expansion in Iran remains a symbol of both hope and frustration—a technological breakthrough that, for now, remains out of reach for millions.

As the world watches the escalating crisis in the Middle East, all eyes are on Elon Musk. Will he answer the call for true digital freedom, or will Starlink’s beams remain just out of reach for those who need them most?