Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace on Tuesday announced the removal of restrictions on WhatsApp and Google Play, in what officials described as a first step towards lifting broader internet filtering measures. The move aligns with one of the main pledges of the country’s fourteenth government, which had previously vowed to provide more open access to global platforms.

Former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said leading politician Masoud Pezeshkian “does not believe filtering aligns with the dignity of the Iranian people,” adding that Pezeshkian remains committed to his promises. “He is working to build consensus at all levels of governance and with the public,” Zarif told reporters.

Ali Sharifi Zarchi, an assistant professor at the Computer Engineering Faculty of Sharif University of Technology, called the decision “positive and encouraging” in implementing the government’s promises for greater connectivity. “This is just the first step in unblocking foreign platforms and reducing online barriers,” he said. “Iranian families have been forced to bear significant costs by relying on virtual private networks (VPNs). Meanwhile, the VPN market has profited immensely, channelling tens of thousands of billions of tomans from households to vendors.”

The filtering of international platforms, which has faced domestic and international criticism, has long shaped Iran’s digital landscape. Despite the new measure, other platforms remain restricted, and critics say more work must be done to guarantee open and unfettered internet access.

Government officials have not specified which platforms might be next in line for unblocking. However, analysts see the latest development as a sign of potential policy shifts aimed at easing online restrictions and supporting Iran’s efforts to engage more fully with the global digital economy.

According to s report by MNA, the second phase of the plan includes providing YouTube via “governable gateways,” an official ban on using foreign platforms in public institutions, and revised enforcement policies for criminal content on both domestic and foreign platforms.

In the third phase, the council has proposed reopening Telegram following negotiations, subject to conditions set by the Article 4 Working Group. Should an agreement fail to materialise, Telegram may be offered exclusively through domestic channels, according to the council’s statement.

A fourth phase aims to regulate certain user groups’ internet access, introduce an officially approved filter bypass mechanism, and step up judicial action against offences committed on unauthorised foreign platforms. Reopening other platforms remains contingent on negotiations and meeting the requirements of the Article 4 Working Group.

Lawmakers' opposition 

Tensions over Iran's internet restrictions intensified on December 24 as 136 members of parliament publicly opposed moves to ease the country's strict social media filtering system, ICANA reported.

Iran has maintained strict controls over internet access since the early 2000s, with major social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram, facing various degrees of restriction. The system of filtering has led to widespread adoption of VPN services among the population, creating what critics describe as a parallel internet economy.

Following the parliament vote, a poll conducted by the Iranian economic newspaper Donyaye Eghtesad showed that Telegram remains the most popular social media platform among Iranians despite filtering restrictions, with 45% of respondents preferring the messaging app.

The survey, which gathered 309 responses, revealed Instagram as the second most preferred platform at 20%, while WhatsApp and YouTube tied at 9% each. Google Play followed at 7%, and 10% of respondents indicated no preference. Twitter (formerly X) received no support in the poll.

The parliamentary intervention, delivered via a strongly worded letter to the Supreme Council for Cyberspace, characterised any potential easing of restrictions as "a surprising gift to enemies in the soft war."

The letter, whose signatories remain anonymous, urged the council to investigate the "behind-the-scenes of filter-breaking sales" and called for stronger governance in cyberspace.

However, the stance appears to conflict with recent statements from Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi, who acknowledged at the Elcomp exhibition in Tehran on December 23 that "everyone, regardless of their perspective, believes that the filtering situation is not desirable."

Hashemi said his ministry's efforts to address the issue through technical rather than political channels, stating they were working "away from the noise."

The poll has sparked heated debate, with readers questioning the validity of conducting social media preference surveys in a heavily restricted environment.

"What kind of poll is this when all applications are filtered? Where else in the world do they conduct surveys like this?" wrote one reader identified as Sara.

Another commenter, Hessam Vakil, suggested that any lifting of restrictions "should be sudden and immediate, accompanied by structural changes to internet connectivity."

Others pointed out that most users maintain presence across multiple platforms while potentially favouring one.

Earlier on November 28, Majid Farahani, deputy coordinator to the president's executive deputy and head of the central council of the reformist Neda-ye Iranian (Voice of Iranians) Party, Iran will gradually lift internet restrictions in three phases by the Iranian New Year by March 2025.

"Internet filtering will be removed in three stages before the New Year," Farahani said, without providing specific details about the timeline or which platforms would be affected.

Earlier in September, Iran's Kish Free Zone Organisation said it was negotiating to launch high-speed, unfiltered internet access on the island in a "controlled manner", its CEO said, in a move that could transform the island into a technology hub, Didbaniran reported.