Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace has voted unanimously to lift the ban on WhatsApp, the popular messaging application, after more than two years of restrictions.
The decision was made announced by the by state media on Tuesday, also includes removing the ban on Google Play, marking a potential turning point in Iran’s approach to internet censorship.
The Supreme Council of Cyberspace, chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian and comprising top officials such as the parliament speaker, judiciary head, and several ministers, reached a unanimous agreement on lifting the ban.
“Today, we took the first step towards lifting internet restrictions with unanimity and consensus,” stated Minister of Communications Sattar Hashemi in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “The restrictions have achieved nothing but anger and added costs to people’s lives,” said presidential adviser Ali Rabiei.
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Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif echoed these sentiments, highlighting President Pezeshkian’s belief that such bans are neither in the country’s best interest nor beneficial to its security. “All experts agree that maintaining these restrictions does not serve the nation’s security or prosperity,” Zarif emphasized.
Popular platforms like Facebook, X, and YouTube have remained blocked since the 2009 protests. Telegram, a widely used messaging app, was banned by court order in 2018. In 2022, Instagram and WhatsApp joined the list of restricted applications following nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who died in police custody.
The bans have forced millions of Iranians to rely on virtual private networks (VPNs) to access blocked platforms, a workaround that adds cost and complexity to daily digital activities.