According to TechRadar, Iran’s seven-year Telegram ban remains in place despite government talks to lift restrictions, with lawmakers blaming a “VPN mafia” that earns about 50 trillion tomans ($450 million) annually from selling circumvention tools. The ban started in May 2018 during national strikes, and now nearly 90% of Iranians use VPNs to bypass internet restrictions. Parliament’s Industries and Mines Committee secretary Mostafa Pourdehghan claims beneficiaries are hiding behind national security concerns to protect their profits. Meanwhile, Iran demands Telegram limit ethnically provocative content and cooperate with data requests, conditions that clash with founder Pavel Durov’s free speech principles. Communications Ministry officials have unofficially suggested Telegram might return soon, but Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf insists platforms must accept internal regulations to get licenses.
The VPN Gold Rush
Here’s the thing about Iran’s internet censorship landscape – it’s created a massive underground economy. We’re talking about a $450 million annual industry that’s basically become too big to fail. When you’ve got nearly 90% of the population using VPNs just to access basic communication tools, you’ve created a monster. And this isn’t just foreign companies cashing in – Iranian firms have jumped into the market too, creating what lawmakers are calling a “mafia” with serious lobbying power.
But wait, there’s more complexity here. Iran actually outlawed VPN usage without permits in February 2024 while simultaneously topping the global list for VPN censorship. They’re playing both sides – restricting access while the demand keeps growing. Proton VPN told TechRadar that Iran remains in their top 10 free users despite the blocks, partly because international sanctions make it hard for Iranians to pay for premium services. So you’ve got this perfect storm of government restrictions creating demand, while the same government tries to control the supply.
Telegram’s Impossible Position
Now let’s talk about why Telegram specifically is caught in this mess. The platform became incredibly popular in Iran before the ban, with some estimates suggesting over 40 million users. That’s massive engagement. But Iran’s conditions for returning are basically a privacy nightmare – they want data cooperation with the judiciary and content moderation that goes against Durov’s entire philosophy.
So what happens if Telegram caves? They lose credibility with their global user base. But if they don’t? The VPN industry keeps making bank while ordinary Iranians struggle with connectivity. It’s a classic case of economic interests trumping user access. And honestly, does anyone really believe the “national security” argument when there’s half a billion dollars at stake?
Beyond Just Messaging
This situation reveals something deeper about how censorship economies work. When you create artificial scarcity of information access, you inevitably create black markets. The VPN industry in Iran has grown so powerful that it can apparently influence parliamentary decisions. That’s wild when you think about it – a circumvention tool industry having enough political clout to maintain the very restrictions that created it.
And it’s not just Telegram. Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram – they’ve all been restricted for years, creating this layered system where different platforms get blocked and unblocked while the VPN industry adapts and profits. The recent unblocking of WhatsApp and Google Play shows the government is willing to make exceptions, but they’re picking their battles carefully.
Basically, we’re watching a high-stakes game where access to communication tools has become currency. The VPN providers win either way – if Telegram stays blocked, they keep their revenue stream. If it gets unblocked, there are plenty of other restricted platforms to justify their existence. It’s a business model built on digital walls, and those walls seem to be getting higher despite the government’s occasional gestures toward openness.
