Iranian authorities have lifted a ban on Meta’s instant messaging platform WhatsApp and Google Play as a first step to scale back internet restrictions.

Iranian authorities remove restrictions on Meta's messaging platform WhatsApp and on Google Play, marking an initial move to ease internet limitations.

The Supreme Cyberspace Council, which is tasked with safeguarding the internet for Iranian citizens, voted unanimously to lift restrictions on a number of foreign-owned applications during a meeting today, according to a report by the state news agency IRNA.

Iran has lifted its ban on WhatsApp and Google Play, potentially marking a shift towards greater internet freedom. The decision was made after a government meeting headed by President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace on Dec 24 approved the lifting of blocks on certain widely used foreign platforms. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Many people reached by The Associated Press across the capital, Tehran, and other cities said they had access to the services on computers but not yet on mobile phones. WhatsApp has been the third most popular messaging platform in Iran after Instagram and Telegram.

The move has sparked a debate in Iran, with critics of the restrictions arguing the controls were costly for the country

Iran’s government has faced criticism for years from ordinary Iranians, Western governments, the United Nations, and political activists for its draconian attitude toward the internet.