TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s government announced on Tuesday that it has lifted the ban on access to WhatsApp and Google Play, which had been in place for over two years, as reported by the official IRNA news agency.
The decision to lift the ban was made during a meeting of the country’s Supreme Council of Cyber Space, led by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has committed to easing restrictions on social media platforms.
Iran’s telecommunications minister, Sattar Heshemi, described the move as a “first step” in removing restrictions, emphasizing that “the path will continue,” hinting at the possibility of unblocking additional services.
Numerous individuals in Tehran and other cities confirmed to The Associated Press that they were able to access the services on computers, although mobile phone access had not yet been fully restored.
WhatsApp had been the third most popular messaging platform in Iran, following Instagram and Telegram.
The ban on WhatsApp and Google Play was imposed in 2022 amidst widespread protests against the government following the death of a woman detained by the country’s morality police for allegedly violating the strict dress code. The protests subsided in 2023 following a government crackdown, resulting in the deaths of hundreds and the imprisonment of thousands.
Iran has a history of blocking access to various social media platforms, prompting many individuals in the country to utilize proxies and VPNs to circumvent these restrictions.
