Iran has decided to restrict access to Instagram and Telegram, amidst the country’s protests, in order to prevent them being used to organise further acts of dissent against the nation’s government.

Social media platforms, like Instagram and Telegram, have been used by protestors to spread information about demonstrations over the last week or so. Telegram, especially, is highly popular in Iran – with more than 50 per cent of the country reported as using the app.

“Iranian authorities started blocking Telegram in Iran today after we publicly refused to shut down channels of peaceful Iranian protesters,” said Telegram CEO Paul Durov on New Year’s Eve.

“We are proud that Telegram is used by thousands of massive opposition channels all over the world. We consider freedom of speech an undeniable human right, and would rather get blocked in a country by its authorities than limit peaceful expression of alternative opinions.”

Despite the limited social media access over the New Year period, protests in the Western Asia state over economic struggles and rising prices are becoming increasingly more violent and the death toll continues to rise.