Iran: access restrictions to WhatsApp and Instagram maintained

These are the most popular foreign platforms in the country. Iran will maintain access to Instagram and WhatsApp. "The two platforms will only be allowed to operate if they have a legal representative in the country to be responsible for the activities of their users," said President Ebrahim Raïssi on Tuesday evening.

The authorities had imposed drastic restrictions on the Internet and social networks, notably blocking access to Instagram and WhatsApp, after the start of the demonstrations that broke out after the death of Mahsa Amini in mid-September.
A relaxation was hoped

The two platforms belonging to Meta "were behind insecurity in the country during the recent riots," said Ebrahim Raïssi. But, "he added," I told the country officials that Internet disturbances caused the nation's dissatisfaction ".

Internet users hoped for a relaxation of restrictions while the number of demonstrations has dropped in recent weeks. Former government spokesperson Ali Rabii warned at the end of January that the activities of "around three million companies and the employment of 12 million people" were linked to the Internet in Iran, which has become a very connected country these last years.
Instagram and WhatsApp were the most used applications since blocking YouTube platforms, Facebook, Telegram, Twitter and Tiktok in recent years. But even before the dispute, internet access was restricted in the country: without VPN type software, most of the web pages hosted outside the country are inaccessible. And the new restrictions have made these tools difficult.