Iran’s top council responsible for internet security voted on Tuesday to lift a ban on popular messaging application WhatsApp, which has been banned for more than two years, state media reported.
“The ban on WhatsApp and Google Play was lifted by the unanimous vote of members of the Supreme Council of Cybersecurity,” the official IRNA news agency said.
The Council is headed by the President, and its members include the Speaker of Parliament, the head of the judiciary, and several ministers.
It was not immediately clear when the decision would come into effect.
‘Ban…nothing has been achieved except anger’
The move has sparked a debate in Iran, with critics of the sanctions arguing that the controls were costly for the country.
“The sanctions have achieved nothing but anger and have increased the cost of people’s lives,” presidential adviser Ali Rabiei said on Tuesday.
Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday, “President Massoud Pezeshkian believes in lifting sanctions and does not consider sanctions to be in the interest of the people and the country. All experts also agree that this issue is not beneficial to the country’s security.” ,
Lifting the ban ‘a gift to the enemies’
However, others warned against lifting the ban.
reformist Shargh The daily reported on Tuesday that 136 MPs in the 290-member parliament sent a letter to the council saying the move would be a “gift”. [Iran’s] Enemy.”
The lawmakers called for access to restricted online platforms to be allowed only “if they are committed to the values of Islamic society and comply with Iran’s laws”.
Iranian authorities have in the past called on foreign companies that own popular international apps to open representative offices in Iran.
Meta, the US giant that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has said it has no intention of setting up an office in the Islamic Republic, which remains under US sanctions.
Over the past few years, Iranians have become accustomed to using virtual private networks, or VPNs, to bypass Internet restrictions.
Other popular social media platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube remain blocked since they were banned in 2009.
Telegram was also banned by court order in April 2018.
Instagram and WhatsApp were added to the list of blocked applications in September 2022 following nationwide protests that erupted following the custodial death of Mahsa Amini.
Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s dress code for women.
Months of nationwide protests followed, with hundreds of people killed, including dozens of security personnel, and thousands of protesters arrested.
Pezeshkian, who took office in July, vowed during his campaign to ease long-standing internet restrictions.
Over the past several years, Iran has introduced domestic applications to replace popular foreign applications.