Iran's New Initiative Promotes Indigenous Messengers

Users will receive 60% discount on Internet prices for using locally-developed messaging applications.

Iran's Telecoms Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi wrote on his Instagram account, “Henceforth users will be charged 60% less for using indigenous messengers compared to the prices charged by their foreign counterparts.”

The ministry will publish the list of messaging applications that will be eligible for discounts. In recent years, several messaging apps, including iGap, Moneyar, Bale and IVA, have been developed by local knowledge-based firms.

This is not the first sweetener offered to locals aimed at boosting use of indigenous applications and online services.

Earlier in March, the Communication Regulatory Authority issued a mandate requiring Internet service providers to offer 50% discount to subscribers using the domestic National Information Network.

Established by the Telecoms Ministry, NIN was launched in August 2016 as an alternative independent network.