Telegram begins cooperation with Iraqi authorities following app blockage

Shafaq News/ Telegram app officials have initiated cooperation with Iraqi authorities in response to concerns over "leaks," according to a government source. 

Last week, Iraq's telecoms ministry said it had blocked the Telegram messaging app over national security concerns and to preserve the integrity of users' data, which it said the app had mishandled.

The source told Shafaq News agency that Telegram's responsible personnel have collaborated with Iraqi authorities to address data security and leak-related issues.

The app is widely used in Iraq for messaging, as a news source, and for sharing content.

Some channels contain large amounts of personal data, includingIraqis'e names, addresses, and family ties.

The decision to block Telegram stemmed from the alleged violation of "integrity of dealing" and "law" governing the application's usage within the country. The Ministry of Communications cited concerns over national security and the protection of citizens' data as underlying justifications for the ban.

The ministry said it had asked the app to close down "platforms that leak the official state institutions' data and citizens' personal data... but the company did not respond and did not interact with any of these requests."

"The Ministry of Communications affirms its respect for citizens' rights to freedom of expression and communication, without prejudice to the security of the state and its institutions," the statement said.