Iran: Government to ban Telegram communication platform

Event

On Saturday, March 31, the chairman of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission announced that Iran will ban the Telegram communication platform and replace it with a government-developed platform. According to officials, Telegram is being blocked on national security grounds after it was widely used in organizing anti-government protests beginning in December 2017. Officials did not say when the ban on Telegram will come into effect; the new platform is expected to be released at the end of April.

Context

Telegram reportedly has around 40 million users in Iran. Iranian authorities initially blocked Telegram and Instagram in early January amid widespread nationwide protests that had sprung up in late December; demonstrators were using the online platforms to organize gatherings. These protests - which began in Mashhad but quickly spread across Iran to denounce high prices, the state's economic policies, high unemployment, and perceived government corruption - were the largest such demonstrations expressing public dissatisfaction with the economic and sociopolitical status quo since the Green Movement protests of 2009. At least 25 people were killed and almost 5000 demonstrators arrested during the protests.

Advice

Individuals in Iran are advised to monitor developments to the situation and obey all local regulations.