Iran authorities have voted to lift a ban on Meta’s instant messaging platform WhatsApp and Google Play as a first step to scale back internet restrictions, according to Iranian state media.
“A positive majority vote has been reached to lift limitations on access to some popular foreign platforms such as WhatsApp and Google Play,” Iran’s official IRNA news agency said on Tuesday, referring to a meeting on the matter headed by President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Pezeshkian, who took office in July, had promised to ease Iran’s longstanding internet restrictions.
“Today the first step in removing internet limitations … has been taken,” IRNA quoted Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi as saying.
It was not immediately clear when the decision would take effect.
Social media platforms have been widely used during antigovernment protests in Iran.