Iran has officially lifted the ban of Meta's WhatsApp messenger and the Google Play Store, a week after the Islamic nation put on hold a stringent Hijab law, which had been passed by the Iranian Parliament in September 2023.

Iran’s government says it has lifted a ban on access to WhatsApp and Google Play after more than two years. That's according to the official IRNA news agency.

Iran lifts ban on WhatsApp and Google Play Store, restoring access to key communication and app platforms for users nationwide.

Iran lifted the ban on the use of the WhatsApp app. The restriction had been in place for over two years, reports The Times of Israel. According to the media, Iran's Supreme Council, responsible for internet protection,

The move has sparked a debate in Iran, with critics of the restrictions arguing the controls were costly for the country

The Supreme Cyberspace Council, which is tasked with safeguarding the internet for Iranian citizens, voted unanimously to lift restrictions on a number of foreign-owned applications during a meeting today, according to a report by the state news agency IRNA.

Iran has lifted restrictions on the Google Play app store and WhatsApp, state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday. The agency said that the applications have been reactivated by the authorities, with more apps expected to follow soon.

Iran has officially lifted the ban on WhatsApp and the Google Play Store, signaling a significant shift in its internet policy. This move, part of President Masoud Pezeshkian's commitment to easing internet restrictions,

Iran said it will start easing some of the world’s tightest internet restrictions by lifting its ban on WhatsApp and Google Play — a sign that authorities want to placate domestic opponents as the Islamic Republic faces major economic and foreign-policy challenges.

The ban on WhatsApp and Google Play was introduced in 2022 amid nationwide protests over the death of a woman detained by the morality police for allegedly violating strict dress codes.