Iran Lifts Ban on WhatsApp and Google Play in First Step Toward Easing Internet Restrictions
Iranian state media has reported that the government has lifted restrictions on WhatsApp and Google Play as part of an initial move to ease internet limitations. The decision was made in an effort to reduce internet restrictions, according to Reuters.
Iran is known for having one of the world's strictest internet control regimes. Despite bans on U.S.-based social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, Iranian tech enthusiasts frequently circumvent these restrictions using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
State news agency IRNA reported that a meeting chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian resulted in a majority vote in favor of lifting access restrictions on popular foreign platforms.
Sattar Hashemi, Iran's Minister of Information and Communications Technology, stated, “The first step to removing internet restrictions has been taken today.”
It is noteworthy that social media platforms have often been used during protests against the Iranian government. In September, the United States urged major tech companies to support citizens in Iran and other nations with strict internet censorship.
