Iraq restores Telegram after platform pledges compliance with legal requirements

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission announced Saturday the restoration of Telegram services across the country after the platform’s management pledged to comply with regulatory conditions related to content controls, user protection and Iraqi law.

“The resumption of Telegram services across all of Iraq follows commitments submitted by the platform’s management to comply with regulatory requirements under Legislative Order No. 65 of 2004,” the commission said, adding that it would continue field monitoring to verify actual implementation. The service will become fully operational once the Ministry of Communications completes the necessary technical procedures through approved access gateways.

Telegram was blocked in Iraq in April 2026 over security concerns related to personal data protection and certain platform activities. The suspension affected most governorates except the Kurdistan Region, leading many users to rely on VPNs. It was not the first such ban: in August 2023, when Hiyam al-Yasiri was communications minister, authorities blocked the app after accusing it of publishing sensitive data linked to Iraqi citizens and state institutions and failing to respond to takedown requests. It was restored days later after the company removed several channels.

Yasiri, now a lawmaker, chaired a parliamentary committee meeting on May 5 at which officials described the April ban as a government decision and raised the possibility of imposing taxes on social media platforms to increase state revenues.

Telegram is widely used in Iraq for private messaging, large public channels, political statements, leaked documents and community updates. Government institutions, political parties, media outlets and armed factions all maintain active channels on the platform, which supports unlimited subscribers, large file sharing and encrypted communication.

The commission stressed that “All social media platforms operating in Iraq are fully obligated to comply with the laws in force without exception, in protection of the public interest and national information security.”