Following the attacks on nuclear facilities in Tehran by Israel, the Iranian government activated information control measures that included severe restrictions on the national internet. In response, Elon Musk activated the Starlink satellite service over Iran, restoring access to thousands of citizens. Times of Israel / Economic Times, June 2025.
However, beyond the gesture of connectivity, a key question arises:
Who has the right to intervene in the digital sovereignty of a nation?
📌 Iran, digital resistance, and the crypto ecosystem
1. Technological sovereignty
Iran, with a highly educated and technologically active population, has driven its own development of blockchain, oil-backed stablecoins, and a growing ecosystem of legalized mining.
2. Crypto as a sovereign tool
Amid international sanctions and blockades, crypto has become a pathway to alternative international trade. Since 2022, Iran has authorized cryptocurrency payments for key imports.
3. An informed and connected people
The Iranian people, far from being passive, have found in blockchain technology a way to communicate, trade, and even preserve their wealth against international financial punishment.
🎙️ Authoritative voices support sovereign decentralization
Nic Carter, co-founder of CoinMetrics, stated that national monetary autonomy through crypto is a legitimate response to the hegemony of the dollar.
Alex Gladstein from the Human Rights Foundation argues that access to bitcoin in sanctioned countries represents a real tool for sovereign empowerment.
❗ The Musk dilemma
Does Starlink connect or interfere?
While thousands of citizens are grateful for access, other experts warn that allowing foreign private infrastructure over a sovereign state without mediation can be seen as a covert intrusion.
