Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s federal government has blocked the messaging platform Telegram as part of measures aimed at curbing armed group activity and strengthening security, a government source told Shafaq News on Monday.

The decision followed coordination with security and intelligence agencies, with authorities pointing to the platform’s use by some armed factions and seeking to disrupt their communications as part of broader efforts to contain the situation and reduce drone-related incidents.

Despite the restriction, the source noted, channels linked to these groups remain accessible through virtual private networks (VPNs), allowing users to bypass the block.

The digital rights group Tech 4 Peace reported on Friday that Telegram had been restricted in Iraq while remaining accessible in Iraqi Kurdistan, with no immediate official explanation at the time. Users in Baghdad and several provinces, including Basra, Najaf, Saladin, Kirkuk, and Diyala, experienced the disruption simultaneously, with the cause initially unclear before the measure was confirmed.