Iran to again shut down encrypted Telegram messaging app: lawmaker

Telegram has some 40 million users in Iran, more than half the population. It is a favourite tool among activists and dissidents, as it provides end-to-end encryption that helps keep communications away from the prying eyes of the state's security services.

Boroujerdi also said the decision was in response to protesters using the app during anti-government demonstrations in late December that left at least 25 dead and more than 5,000 arrested.

The decision to block the app was made "at the highest level," said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy. He said authorities would replace the app with a similar local system.

The messaging app was shut down briefly in early January. However, some 10 percent of users still accessed the services through proxies and VPN providers.

Telegram was created by a Russian entrepreneur and its code is partially open source. 

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