SpaceX is in formal discussions with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over launching Starlink in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with officials currently reviewing a draft agreement for the satellite broadband service.
Kurdistan Region Transportation and Communications Minister Ano Abdoka confirmed that SpaceX has formally contacted the ministry and held a meeting with the General Directorate for Posts and Delivery. SpaceX has subsequently provided a draft contract that is being reviewed by the ministry and the KRG’s Diwan of the Council of Ministers.
Abdoka stressed that negotiations remain ongoing and no final agreement has been reached.
“Once we reach an agreement, we will inform the Kurdistan Region’s public, and it will be officially announced,” he said.
Starlink has already launched in Iraq
The discussions follow Starlink’s launch in Iraq on July 29, after an agreement was reached between the satellite broadband provider and Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC).
The agreement followed talks during an Iraqi delegation’s visit to the United States and was signed during a US-Iraq business summit hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington.
Extending authorized Starlink services into the Kurdistan Region could provide an additional broadband option for communities where conventional fixed and mobile infrastructure remains limited.
Authorities warn against unauthorized Starlink resellers
Despite Starlink’s entry into Iraq, the country’s communications authority has warned that no official agents or resellers have yet been authorized.
The regulator has cautioned against businesses or individuals presenting themselves as approved Starlink representatives and has threatened legal action against impersonators.
The warning highlights the importance of establishing formal distribution and regulatory arrangements as satellite broadband services enter the Iraqi market.
Satellite connectivity could help reach remote communities
Starlink uses a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites to provide broadband without requiring conventional last-mile fiber or mobile towers.
That makes the technology particularly relevant to geographically isolated communities where extending terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure can be difficult or expensive.
Both federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region contain remote areas where access to reliable network infrastructure remains limited, creating a potential use case for satellite broadband as a complement to existing networks.
Iraqi users face higher Starlink pricing than US customers
According to the reported pricing, Starlink equipment in Iraq costs approximately $350, while a basic plan offering speeds of around 100 Mbps costs approximately $87 per month.
The comparable subscription costs around $55 per month in the United States, making affordability an important consideration for wider consumer adoption in Iraq.
Starlink could nevertheless appeal to households and businesses in underserved locations where comparable high-speed terrestrial connectivity is unavailable.
Why this matters
Formal Starlink availability in the Kurdistan Region could introduce another connectivity option for remote and underserved communities while adding satellite broadband to the region’s telecommunications infrastructure mix. The ongoing negotiations also show how Iraq’s satellite connectivity market is moving from informal availability toward regulated commercial services.
Editor’s note
The key development is that Starlink’s expansion into the Kurdistan Region is still under negotiation rather than finalized. SpaceX has established formal contact with KRG authorities and submitted a draft agreement, but officials have made clear that an official announcement will follow only after an agreement is reached. If approved, the service could complement fiber and mobile networks in locations where conventional infrastructure remains difficult to deploy.
