Telegram founder Pavel Durov said Iran’s ban on the messaging platform has backfired, with millions of users continuing to access the app through VPNs and similar tools.
Durov said the government’s attempt to push citizens toward state-controlled messaging platforms instead led to widespread adoption of circumvention technologies.
“The government hoped for mass adoption of its surveillance messaging apps, but got mass adoption of VPNs instead,”
Said Telegram co-founder, Pavel Durov.
He added that tens of millions of users in Iran remain active on Telegram by routing their internet traffic through global servers that mask their location and bypass national restrictions.
The trend highlights how decentralised technologies, including encrypted messaging, blockchain, and crypto tools, can weaken state-imposed controls on communication and data access.
Users are also turning to alternatives such as satellite internet services and mesh network-based apps like BitChat, which allow communication without relying on centralised infrastructure.
Similar patterns have emerged globally, with social media bans in countries like Nepal and Madagascar triggering spikes in decentralised app adoption during periods of political unrest.