Iran is famous for its delicious food, architecture, interesting culture and hospitable people. That’s exactly why many travelers are craving to visit this country in the Middle East. Are you too thinking of traveling or living in Iran? Are you interested in Iran and want to access the internet while staying anonymous? If so, you must know that the Internet is heavily censored by the Iranian government. Most top websites are blocked along with their subdomains and proxy servers. This means that they cannot access Google, YouTube, Twitter, Meta (Facebook), Instagram, Tumblr and many others! Other websites like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail are not accessible too.
Iran is a country with strict censorship, so anyone living there looking for a way to get around it should consider getting a VPN.
Iranians have reportedly flocked to VPN services to help them circumvent the online censorship imposed by the government.
The best VPNs for Iran quick guide
- NordVPN – Best overall choice
- ExpressVPN – Highly secure
- VyperVPN – Great deals
Why Do I Need a VPN For Iran?
Virtual Private Network services are tremendously useful. VPNs can help you access blocked websites as though you were in another country. These services give internet users a way to access the web while avoiding restrictions. VPNs offer a high level of encryption which allows you to stay completely safe while browsing the web privately. Other countries that you may consider using a VPN in include Morocco, Russia, and Georgia.
Restrictions In Iran
Iran is becoming more astute at censoring its internet and social media platforms that are irking the Iranian government. A lot of posts on Iran’s social media platforms are taken down within an hour of being posted. Iran is also cracking down on VPNs and anonymizers (or anonymous proxies).
For Iranians, Facebook (now Meta) is their primary platform for sharing opinions and countering the Iranian government’s propaganda. Iran has already blocked access to Facebook several times. The country has also reportedly blocked Telegram which caused large protests across Iran with Telegram being Iran’s go-to app for secure communication. Increasingly, the Iranian government is getting stricter with people using anti-Iranian censorship tools to surf the internet.
Our top recommended VPNs for Iran in 2022
By best VPNs for this country, we mean the best way to get around internet censorship in Iran. To do that, you need a no logs service that offers the best security, high-speed bandwidth for HD streaming, and servers that work in Iran.
When it comes to VPN providers for Iran, there are many factors to consider. It is well known that the Iranian government has the best internet monitoring services. That makes the usage of a VPN service in Iran even more important because it will give you online anonymity.
1. NordVPN*
NordVPN is very popular in Iran because of its low prices, high speeds and many features. It can use its proprietary CyberSec feature which blocks ads, trackers, and malware so you don’t need to use a browser add-on or special app to block ads, trackers, and malware.
Using NordVPN, you can get around all the censorship restrictions without any problems. It’s got a SmartPlay feature which encrypts your traffic first before entering the Internet, so you can access any website without censorship restrictions. It provides military-grade encryption so no one will be able to see what you’re doing online or even know you are connected to the Internet.
2. ExpressVPN*
ExpressVPN is a known leader in the VPN industry. It has servers optimized for Iran with fast speeds. This VPN can bypass censorship at a server level to give users access to forbidden content from within Iran. ExpressVPN’s apps are also very easy to use. ExpressVPN offers excellent performance, privacy, security, and unblocking sites/apps. ExpressVPN has apps for all devices including Playstation Consoles (PS3 & PS4), Xbox Consoles (Xbox 360 & Xbox One), iOS, Android phones/tablets, Amazon Firestick TV, Linux Ubuntu, Windows computers, Macbooks/OSX, and routers.
3. VyprVPN
VyprVPN is one of the most popular VPNs for Iran, but why? Well, VyprVPN offers some of the fastest connection speeds you can find in a VPN, perfect for streaming videos or downloading files. Users of this service also have access to VyprVPN’s ‘Chameleon’ protocol which scrambles their connection’s metadata so it can’t be traced back to them, making this VPN perfect for Iran. The service spends its resources on giving users the best speeds possible. But if the connection speeds don’t impress you then maybe the technical support will. VyprVPN offers 24/7 live chat. It has a team of experts on hand who are waiting to answer your questions not just via email but also by social media accounts.
FAQ
You can trial ExpressVPN or NordVPN – both services are extremely reliable but you need to pay for them if you want to keep using them after the free trial. A paid VPN is always the safest choice. However, OpenVPN is free and is a decent option for Iran.
A VPN will protect your privacy at home or while you’re using public WiFi. VPN can be used as a way to watch Netflix and bypass the censorship of TV channels like Aljazeera, BBC Persian or HBO.
Iran censors blogging, social networks like Meta and Twitter, search engines like Google, and file sharing sites like YouTube. Iran has also cracked down on virtual private networks (VPNs), which are used to bypass Iran’s censorship efforts.