ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission announced on Saturday that the messaging application Telegram will resume operations across the country after the platform’s management pledged to comply with Iraqi legislation and regulatory requirements.

“The Communications and Media Commission announces the resumption of Telegram services throughout Iraq after the application’s management provided commitments to comply with regulatory requirements in accordance with Legislative Order No. 65 of 2004,” the statement said.

The commission added that it had previously submitted official requests to Telegram outlining a series of conditions related to “content regulation, user protection, and compliance with the legal frameworks in force in Iraq.”

According to the statement, Iraqi authorities will continue monitoring the platform to ensure that the commitments are being implemented “on the ground.”

It added that Telegram services will fully resume once Iraq’s communications ministry completes the necessary technical procedures through approved access gateways.

Iraq temporarily banned Telegram in April 2026, citing security and technical concerns. Iraq’s communications ministry said at the time that the platform posed a threat to national security after personal data belonging to state employees and Iraqi citizens was allegedly leaked through channels on the application.

Government sources also said the ban aimed to curb certain activities on the platform, including channels linked to armed factions accused of circulating sensitive information.

Authorities further stated that Telegram’s management had failed to respond to requests to shut down channels involved in the leaks.

The ban led to a near-total disruption of the application across most Iraqi provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region, and triggered a sharp rise in VPN usage, which reportedly increased by 1,200 percent as users sought to bypass the restrictions.