Mohsen Karimi, the commander of the IRGC in Markazi Province, has stated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has identified 300,000 users of the mobile social network 'Telegram' in this province. According to the Tasnim news agency, Mr. Karimi announced this news on the evening of Tuesday, December 8, during a meeting of the Public Culture Council of Markazi Province. He mentioned that the IRGC's research in Markazi Province led to the identification of 300,000 Telegram users, of which 97,000 are 'local.' Karimi also reported the existence of '240 populous groups' in Markazi Province, with '60 percent' of their activities being 'cultural and social' and their operating environment being 'virtual space.' He stated that '42 percent' of these groups are 'cultural groups aligned with the Revolution and the sacred system of the Islamic Republic.' According to this IRGC commander, '38 percent' of the identified groups active in the virtual space of Markazi Province are 'independent' and have no 'specific' orientation. Karimi added that among the active virtual groups in Markazi Province, only '18 percent' are 'non-aligned' and 'mostly operate with anti-cultural and obscene content.' In recent years, the IRGC has increased its intelligence, security, and monitoring activities on social networks, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of dozens of individuals on various charges. The 'Working Group for Determining the Instances of Criminal Content' in Iran has held several sessions regarding the status of 'Telegram' and other mobile social networks, but there has not been sufficient votes to block it. Following the failure of what is termed 'smart filtering' of this social network, pressure from the judiciary to block it has increased in the past two months. The government of Hassan Rouhani, which supports the use of this network, has entered negotiations with 'Telegram' managers to find an alternative solution. In late October of this year, Pavel Durov, the CEO of 'Telegram,' rejected the Iranian government's request for 'spying on the citizens' of this country by his organization. The 'Telegram' network is considered one of the most popular mobile communication networks in Iran. On November 25 of this year, Mahmoud Vaezi, the Minister of Communications, announced that 'Telegram' has 13 to 14 million users in Iran.
IRGC Identifies 300,000 Telegram Users in Markazi Province
The IRGC has identified 300,000 Telegram users in Markazi Province, with a significant portion of them being local. The report highlights the IRGC's ongoing monitoring of social media and the government's struggle to regulate platforms like Telegram amid rising judicial pressure to block them. This situation underscores the tension between state control and popular social media usage in Iran.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
IRGC identifies 300,000 Telegram users in Markazi Province, increasing monitoring of social networks.
- Mohsen Karimi announce Telegram users in Markazi Province
- IRGC increase intelligence and monitoring activities
- Mohsen Karimi report cultural and social groups
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The IRGC's identification of Telegram users signals increased state control over digital communication.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%