Iran has restricted access to the Instagram and Telegram social media apps as a security measure during rare anti-government protests, according Al Jazeera. The report quoted a government official as saying on Sunday that social media in the country would be temporarily limited, as the government warned protesters they would pay a price if days of unrest continued.
"With a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, activities of Telegram and Instagram are temporarily limited."
Confirming the development, Pavel Durov, the chief executive officer of Telegram, said on Twitter that Iran was "blocking access ... for the majority of Iranians" after protesters used the popular messaging app to plan and publicise demonstrations.
Users said on Sunday that they could no longer access the app via cellphone networks, though it was still available via Wifi and home internet connections.
Earlier on Sunday, Mehr, the semi-official Iranian news agency reported that at least two protesters died on Saturday night in Dorud, a city in western Iran.
Iranians began protesting on Thursday in the second city of Masshad, rallying against high prices. The rallies have since gained momentum, spreading to other cities. The action has been described as the largest in nearly a decade.
Saturday marked the third day of anti-government protests across Iran, when students and police clashed in Tehran. Videos posted on Twitter by the New-York based Center for Human Rights in Iran appeared to show police in riot gear clashing with protesters outside the gates to the Tehran University.
