Country profile

Iran age-verification & online ID laws

In effect National Information Network (NIN) + real-name registration effective 2013

Iran routes domestic traffic through the state-controlled National Information Network, requires real-name SIM registration, and blocks thousands of foreign sites and services.

Laws & bills on record

General online

In effect

Bill / statute: National Information Network (NIN) + real-name registration
Status: Active law in effect
Effective: 2013 (approx.)
Intrusiveness: Severe -- Criminal penalties, VPN targeting, or repeated re-checks with long data retention.

Iran routes domestic traffic through the state-controlled National Information Network, requires real-name SIM registration, and blocks thousands of foreign sites and services. After the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests controls tightened sharply, and in February 2024 unauthorized VPN use was criminalized.

Timeline

Jan 1, 2013In effect
Jan 1, 2013National Information Network rollout begins
Sep 1, 2022Controls tighten after Mahsa Amini protests
Feb 1, 2024Unauthorized VPN use criminalized

Source: freedomhouse.org

VPN restrictions

Only government-approved VPNs are legal; unauthorized use was criminalized in February 2024 (up to a year in prison). An estimated 60-80% of Iranians still rely on unapproved VPNs to bypass blocks.

Effective: Feb 2024

Source: freedomhouse.org

Frequently asked questions

Does Iran require online age verification?

Yes. National Information Network (NIN) + real-name registration is in effect, effective 2013. Iran routes domestic traffic through the state-controlled National Information Network, requires real-name SIM registration, and blocks thousands of foreign sites and services.

Are VPNs restricted in Iran?

Only government-approved VPNs are legal; unauthorized use was criminalized in February 2024 (up to a year in prison).

← See Iran on the world map

Other countries

Browse all 173 countries