Iran Lifts Decade-Long Ban on Government Agencies Using Foreign Social Media Platforms
The Iranian government has announced the lifting of restrictions imposed for nearly a decade on official state bodies using foreign social media networks, enabling government institutions to expand their digital presence and communicate directly with domestic and international audiences across both local and global platforms.
Secretary of the Iranian Government Information Council, Mohammad Golzari, stated that the Special Committee for Cyberspace Regulation and Management approved the removal of restrictions that had previously curbed the activity of executive bodies on foreign networks, thereby granting official entities permission to disseminate news and releases across domestic and foreign social media channels alike.
Golzari explained that these restrictions originated from a 2017 decree by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace intended to regulate social messaging apps, before the ban expanded in 2018 to restrict official public relations and media operations for a large segment of ministries and state institutions.
The Iranian official noted that the continuation of these constraints placed heavy operational burdens on government public relations departments, specifically hindering rapid information sharing, timely crisis response, and the capacity to counter rumors and misinformation proliferating across digital spaces.
He added that the current administration has sought from its outset to bolster the state apparatus’s presence on social networks, culminating in the comprehensive repeal of the prohibitions.
A Crucial Arena for Information Flow
The policy shift comes as international platforms remain a primary venue for news exchange and public discourse in Iran, despite widespread domestic access blocks that have historically led millions of users to employ circumvention tools.
The decision is expected to give Iranian government entities direct avenues to communicate with citizens and global audiences, enhancing their ability to rapidly deliver official statements, clarifications, and real-time updates during fast-moving developments and high-profile crises.