Google Play Removes Iranian Regime’s Apps

Google has removed three Iranian native messengers and two smart transportation applications controlled by the government from its digital distribution service Google Play.

Iranian website Digiato announced on Wednesday that the applications are Snap, TAPSI, Soroush, Bale, and iGap, and their accounts have been removed from Google Play.

Digiato claimed that based on its inquiries it has found out the applications are removed because of the sanctions on Iran.

The removal of Iranian applications from Apple and Google Store platforms is not a new thing and dates to 2017. Due to US sanctions against the authoritarian regime, Apple widely removed Iranian applications from the Apple Store.

Iranian regime has shut down two popular applications WhatsApp and Instagram since the beginning of popular antigovernment protests in September to restrict the free circulation of information about events taking place around the country.

Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube are also banned by the Iranian government while the top officials of the country have access to these platforms to spread their propaganda.

The clerical rulers say people are only entitled to use home-grown application like Soroush, iGap, and Bale which are now banned by Google.

Recently, social activists have launched a campaign to put pressure on Twitter to remove the account of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who is ultimately responsible for human rights violations and the of killing the protesters.