The White House is in talks with billionaire Elon Musk to establish a SpaceX Starlink satellite Internet service in Iran, CNN reported, citing officials familiar with the matter.

Satellite broadband could help Iranians bypass restrictions on access to the Internet and some social media platforms.

The U.S. Treasury Department said last month that some satellite Internet equipment could be exported to Iran, suggesting that the company might not need a license to provide satellite broadband services in the country.

Musk then said he would activate Starlink in response to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's tweet that the United States had taken steps to promote Internet freedom and the free flow of information for Iranians.

Musk said Tuesday that Starlink has not received any funding from the U.S. Defense Department for its services in Ukraine, adding that the company loses about $20 million a month because of unpaid services and the cost of security measures to protect against cyber attacks.