Iran’s Negotiations with Telegram Halted over Legal Concerns
WANA (Nov 05) – Despite recent claims suggesting that Iran was close to reaching an agreement with Telegram, investigations indicate that talks with the platform have been temporarily suspended due to certain legal issues.
The main criticisms raised by experts over the past month’s negotiation process include the lack of sufficient guarantees for the terms of the agreement, uncertainty about Telegram’s commitment to Iran’s domestic laws, and ambiguities in defining key concepts such as “terrorist activities.” These issues, experts argue, undermine the stability of any potential agreement and hinder the protection of Iranian users’ rights within the platform’s ecosystem.
According to journalists’ follow-ups, the Reopening Committee has formally warned the negotiating team about these issues and has called for revisions to the drafted documents.
It is worth noting that the unblocking of filtered platforms in Iran follows a 32-clause resolution passed by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. Under this resolution, any foreign platform seeking to operate in Iran must comply with the country’s laws and regulations.
The 32-clause resolution—approved by the Supreme Council and signed by Iran’s President—outlines a step-by-step process for reopening filtered platforms. Each stage requires systematic and expert evaluations to ensure the necessary conditions for unblocking are properly met.
According to the same resolution, Telegram’s potential reopening falls under the third phase, yet current assessments show that even the first phase—which should follow the unblocking of WhatsApp and Google Play—has not been implemented.
Experts believe that adhering to the technical and legal provisions of this resolution is not only a legal requirement but also strengthens Iran’s position in negotiations with foreign platforms, paving the way for an agreement that better safeguards the rights of Iranian users.
Telegram Must Respect Iran’s Rules as in France
WANA (Nov 02) – A member of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace stated that Telegram must comply with the laws of the Islamic Republic, just as it does with countries like France. In recent weeks, negotiations between Iran’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology and the Telegram messaging platform have begun, following a 32-clause […]
