Iran has banned all use of the popular Telegram messaging app. The ban had been introduced to protect "national security," said a statement aired on state television. From a report: </s> MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Iran's judiciary bodies have decided to ban the use of Telegram messaging app, local media reported on Monday.

According to the IRIB broadcaster, many Iranians complained about the messenger.

READ MORE: Moscow Arbitration Court Records First Lawsuit Over Telegram Messenger Ban

The Iranian authorities have taken several steps to limit Telegram’s activity in the country over company’s refusal to transfer its servers to Iran. On December 31, 2017, Tehran blocked the messenger amid nationwide protests in the country. The ban was lifted two weeks later, however, the Telegram's voice call service has remained blocked.

In 2017, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov said that 40 million Iranian citizens used the app monthly, which makes it one of the most popular social networks in the country. </s> ANKARA (REUTERS) - Iran's judiciary has banned the popular Telegram instant messaging app to protect national security, Iran's state TV reported on Monday (April 30).

"Considering various complaints against Telegram social networking app by Iranian citizens, and based on the demand of security organisations for confronting the illegal activities of Telegram, the judiciary has banned its usage in Iran," it reported.

The order was issued days after Iran banned government bodies from using Telegram, which is widely used by Iranian state media, politicians, companies and ordinary Iranians.

A widespread government Internet filter prevents Iranians from accessing many sites on the official grounds that they are offensive or criminal.

But many Iranians evade the filter through use of VPN software, which provides encrypted links directly to private networks based abroad, and can allow a computer to behave as if it is based in another country.

"The blocking of Telegram app should be in a way to prevent users from accessing it with VPN or any other software," the Fars news agency said. The app had over 40 million users in Iran. </s> Iran’s judiciary has banned the popular Telegram instant messaging app to protect national security, Iranian state television said on Monday.

Iran had been considering the ban since January when protests over economic grievances erupted in more than 80 cities and later turned into demonstrations against the clerical and security elite of the Islamic Republic.

Some hardline officials said protesters used Telegram to organise the rallies, which were ultimately contained by the Revolutionary Guards and their affiliated volunteer Basij militia. The app was temporarily blocked in January.

“Considering various complaints against the Telegram social networking app by Iranian citizens, and based on the demand of security organisations to confront the illegal activities of Telegram, the judiciary has banned its usage in Iran,” state TV reported.

“All Internet providers in Iran must take steps to block Telegram’s website and app as of 30 April,” the judiciary website Mizan quoted a court order as saying.

The court order, according to Mizan, said Iran’s security had been threatened by Telegram as it had been used to mobilise many anti-government protests.

Mizan said: “Those actions included propaganda against the establishment, terrorist activities, spreading lies to incite public opinion, anti-government protests and pornography.”

Iran’s Shi’ite clerical rulers are wary of any revival of anti-government unrest if President Donald Trump refuses to extend US sanctions relief on Iran on May 12, a deadline set by him for European signatories of Iran’s 2015 deal with six world powers to “fix the terrible flaws” of the accord.

Britain, France and Germany have been trying to dissuade Trump from ditching the deal struck during his predecessor Barack Obama’s administration. A US exit could unravel the accord and increase economic pressure on ordinary Iranians.

The order to ban Telegram was issued a few days after Iran barred government bodies from using the app, favoured by Iranian state media, politicians, companies and ordinary Iranians alike.

A widespread government Internet filter prevents Iranians from accessing many internet sites on the official grounds that they are offensive or criminal.

But many Iranians evade the filter through use of VPN software, which provides encrypted links directly to private networks based abroad, and can allow a computer to behave as if it is based in another country.

“The blocking of the Telegram app should be a way to prevent users from accessing it with VPN or any other software,” the semi-official Fars news agency said. Telegram has an estimated 40 million users in Iran.

Iranian officials have been encouraging Iranians to use domestic alternatives to Telegram. The Soroush app was released last month offering most of Telegram’s features. But many Iranians are reluctant to use domestic apps, fearing they could be used by security services to spy on them.

The Soroush app features female emojis, covered with conservative black Islamic headscarves and carrying signs saying “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”. </s> Iran's judiciary has banned the popular Telegram instant messaging app to protect national security, Iran's state TV reported on Monday.

ANKARA: Iran's judiciary has banned the popular Telegram instant messaging app to protect national security, Iran's state TV reported on Monday.

"Considering various complaints against Telegram social networking app by Iranian citizens, and based on the demand of security organisations for confronting the illegal activities of Telegram, the judiciary has banned its usage in Iran," TV reported.

The order came days after Iran banned government bodies from using the Telegram app, which is widely used by Iranian state media, politicians, companies and ordinary Iranians. </s> Iran's judiciary ordered the popular Telegram instant messaging app be shut down to protect national security, state TV reported on Monday.

The order follows a temporary ban introduced by the government in January after dissidents used it to organize protests.
• State TV reported that the prosecutor has ordered that companies block the app in a way that would not allow users to bypass the restrictions using a virtual private network.
• Though Telegram has been used by dissidents to successfully organize mass protests, Iran's authorities say the app's primary clientele comprises terrorists and pornographers.
• In anticipation of the ban, many government-affiliated users had already switched to Iranian alternatives to the international service.

"Considering various complaints against the Telegram social networking app by Iranian citizens and based on the demand of security organizations to confront the illegal activities of Telegram, the judiciary has banned its usage in Iran," state television reported when announcing the decision on Monday.

Mizan, the website of Iran's judiciary, reported that authorities had ordered the app's shutdown for actions that "included propaganda against the establishment, terrorist activities, spreading lies to incite public opinion, anti-government protests and pornography."

Telegram had just been returned to Iran and several other countries after servers in the company's home base of Dubai overheated at the weekend: "The service is now restored for most of Europe, Africa, Russia and CIS," Telegram's social media team wrote on Twitter Sunday, referring to the Commonwealth of Independent States, "Iran and Middle East coming soon."

Possibly preemptive measure: Media speculate that authorities finalized their ban on the service ahead of the May 12 deadline for US President Donald Trump to decide whether he will renew sanctions relief for Iran in accord with the 2015 multination deal reached by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Should Trump refuse, the effects on the domestic economy could see Iranians take to the streets to protest their government all over again.

Read more: 6 top-scoring encrypted messaging apps you should try if you're worried about privacy

Iran is also currently at the center of several regional disputes, having engaged Middle East rivals by proxy in the civil wars in Yemen and Syria, in addition to attempting to providing a stabilizing role in Iraq.

The order by Iran's judiciary came as people have taken to the streets in Russia to protest a block on the Telegram service there and even the leaders of states less frequently described as rogue have set their sights on putting an end to encrypted user-to-user communications.

Officials have encouraged Iranians to use domestic alternatives to Telegram in advance of the ban, including the new Soroush app. However, many people fear that the security services may have built spying capabilities into such apps and have proved reluctant to use them.

Read more: Brief WhatsApp ban in Brazil sends users scrambling for alternatives

Every evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of news and features. You can sign up to receive it here. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption Millions of Iranians rely on their mobile devices for news and business

Iran has banned all use of the popular Telegram messaging app.

The ban had been introduced to protect "national security", said a statement aired on state television.

It is believed the ban is connected to protests expected on 12 May if US President Donald Trump re-imposes sanctions on Iran.

Iranian authorities have complained before about the way Telegram has been used by anti-government groups to organise rallies and protests.

State television programmes in Iran said the ban had been prompted by "various complaints" against Telegram by Iranians and the demands of the nation's security services to "confront" its illegal activities.

A statement placed on Mizan, the official website of Iran's judiciary, said the security of the state had been threatened by the actions of Telegram users, which included "propaganda against the establishment, terrorist activities, spreading lies to incite public opinion, anti-government protests and pornography".

Protests are expected in Iran later this month as an accord that lifted economic sanctions on the nation comes up for renewal.

President Trump has set a deadline of 12 May for what he described as "flaws" in the deal to be fixed. If they remain, he is set to abandon the deal.

Read more on this topic:

The ban, which cuts off access to the Telegram website and its app, came into force on 30 April.

In late April, Iranian officials told Telegram to move some servers out of the country to stop the sharing of images and videos via Telegram.

In January, the app suffered a short ban following protests in more than 80 cities, many of which, the government says, were organised via the app.

Telegram is believed to have about 40 million users in Iran. Many use it because the way it encrypts or scrambles messages makes it much harder for security services to scrutinise what they are saying.

The Iranian government has sought to push citizens to use official alternatives to Telegram, including the Soroush messaging app.

Iran's action against Telegram follows similar moves by Russia to block use of the app. Users mounted protests in Moscow this week, calling for the lifting of the block and to lobby for more online freedom. </s> Internet service providers in Iran have been ordered to block access to Telegram.

It has only been a few weeks since encrypted messaging app Telegram was blocked in Russia, and now the Iranian judiciary has banned the service, citing concerns for national security.

About 40m people in Iran use the service.

Reuters reported that the ban had been under consideration since January of this year, following a series of protests in cities across the country, which escalated into demonstrations against the Islamic Republic elites and clerics.

According to AP, 25 people died and 5,000 were arrested during the protests in December 2017 and early 2018. The app was temporarily shut down at this time, but users were able to use VPNs to work around the obstacles.

Russian authorities banned the service after Telegram refused to hand over encryption keys to allegedly be used in counterterrorism efforts. In Iran, Telegram was apparently used to spread “propaganda against the establishment, terrorist activities, spreading lies to incite public opinion, anti-government protests and pornography”, according to Mizan.

State television in Iran reported: “Considering various complaints against the Telegram social networking app by Iranian citizens, and based on the demand of security organisations to confront the illegal activities of Telegram, the judiciary has banned its usage in Iran.”

Telegram is out of bounds

The Tehran prosecutor ordered that both the mobile and desktop versions of the app are to be blocked in such a way that the use of a VPN would be ineffective.

The Iranian government said that Telegram and other foreign messaging apps could obtain operating licences in the country if they transferred their databases into that region, but privacy advocates are wary this could make state surveillance much easier.

There is an alternative app in Iran called Soroush, which has most of the same features, but domestic apps are more likely to be used for surveillance purposes, privacy experts say.

Authorities in Iran are keen to put a lid on any anti-government unrest, particularly if US president Donald Trump decides not to extend US sanctions relief to the country on 12 May – a deadline set by him for European signatories of a deal with Iran in 2015 to “fix the terrible flaws” of the agreement.

Activists in Iran are finding novel ways to battle government censorship and spread protests across the country, even without the use of Telegram. Messages are even being written on banknotes and spread throughout the country.

The international sanctions imposed on Iran have hurt its economy, and protests that began as a response to this have quickly turned to calls for Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to step down. </s> Iran's judiciary has issued an order to ban access to telegram messaging app in Iran. </s> DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday the country’s people and security forces had put an end to unrest fomented by foreign enemies, as parliament and security officials met to discuss the boldest challenge to the clerical establishment since 2009.

There has been more than a week of unrest in Iran in which 22 people have died and more than 1,000 arrested, according to Iranian officials. The protests spread to more than 80 cities and rural towns as thousands of young and working-class Iranians expressed their anger at graft, unemployment and a deepening gap between rich and poor.

Residents contacted by Reuters in various cities have said the protests had subsided after the government intensified a crackdown by dispatching Revolutionary Guards forces to several provinces.

“Iran’s revolutionary people along with tens of thousands of Basij forces, police and the Intelligence Ministry have broken down the chain (of unrest),” the Guards said in a statement on their Sepahnews website. The Guards said the unrest had been “created ... by the United States, Britain, the Zionist regime (Israel), Saudi Arabia, the hypocrites (Mujahideen) and monarchists.”

Parliament met on Sunday to discuss the week of unrest with the ministers of interior and intelligence, Iran’s police chief and the deputy commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, state television said.

Late on Saturday, videos on social media showed a heavy police presence in cities, including Khorramabad in southwestern Iran where on Wednesday evening social media posts showed protesters throwing stones at riot police.

As protests have ebbed, the government has lifted restrictions it imposed on Instagram, one of the social media tools used to mobilize protesters. But access to a more widely used messaging app, Telegram, was still blocked, suggesting authorities remained uneasy about the possibility of further protests.

Parliament spokesman Behrouz Nemati said MPs and security officials had decided that Telegram restrictions should be lifted only after the app committed to ban “hostile, anti-Iranian channels that promote unrest”, state television reported.

Telegram, with 40 million users in Iran, in late December shut down a channel that Iran had accused of encouraging violence, but declined to block other channels and this prompted Tehran to block access to the app.

Many Iranians access Telegram by using virtual private networks (VPNs) and other tools to bypass government filtering of the Internet, residents say.

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Thousands of government supporters have staged rallies in a backlash against the anti-government protests which are the biggest since widespread unrest in 2009 over alleged election fraud.

State television showed live pictures of rallies in several cities, including central Shahr-e Kord where hundreds, many clutching umbrellas, had gathered despite heavy snowfall.

“Death to America”, “Death to Israel”, “Death to Britain” “Death to seditionists”, the demonstrators chanted.

The anti-government protests have attracted largely young people and workers as well as members of the educated middle-class that formed the backbone of a pro-reform revolt almost a decade ago.

A police spokesman said most of those arrested were “duped” into joining the unrest and had been freed on bail, the state news agency IRNA reported. “But, the leaders of the unrest are held by the judiciary in prison.”

CONCERNS ABOUT STUDENT ARRESTS

Several parliament members and university officials have expressed concern over the fate of students arrested during the protests. Tehran University Vice-President Majid Sarsangi has said the university had set up a committee to track them.

Parliament spokesman Nemati said MPs had asked security officials for a report about the detained students during Sunday’s closed session.

“One of the issues addressed by deputies and the parliament speaker was that of detained students, and it was decided that the Intelligence Ministry would vigorously pursue this and submit a report by next week,” said Nemati, quoted by IRNA.

A member of parliament said earlier about 90 students were detained, 10 of whom were still not accounted for.

People take part in pro-government rallies, Iran, January 3, 2018. Tasnim News Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Iran has several parallel security bodies and residents say arrests are often not immediately announced.

Videos on social media in the past few days showed relatives of detainees gathering outside prisons seeking information about the fate of their loved ones.

The Revolutionary Guards and their affiliated Basij militia suppressed unrest in 2009, in which dozens of pro-reform Iranians were killed.
Iran bans the Telegram messenger app, citing national security concerns.