Google Services

Tehran: Google has restricted new account creation for Iranian users in cases where phone verification is required, according to reports from users and Iranian media. WANA News reported that users with Iranian phone numbers carrying the +98 country code have encountered problems during Google’s verification process. Some numbers are reportedly rejected, while other users do not receive the SMS containing the verification code. In cases where the number is rejected, users may not be offered another way to complete the verification, leaving them unable to finish the registration process. Recent complaints on Google’s official account support forums have also described difficulties receiving verification codes, using +98 numbers and recovering accounts. The reason for the reported issue has not been established. It could be linked to Google’s verification procedures, SMS delivery problems, regional restrictions or a combination of factors. Google has not publicly announced a specific policy banning Iranian users from creating accounts. The impact goes beyond creating a Gmail address. Google accounts provide access to services including Google Play, Google Drive and Google Photos, while Android devices also use them for features such as cloud backup. The reported problem could therefore affect people setting up new Android phones or trying to access Google services without an existing account. The reports come amid wider restrictions on access to international online services in Iran. Behzad Akbari, Iran’s Deputy Communications Minister and head of the Infrastructure Communications Company, recently said monitoring data showed that around 30 to 31 per cent of hundreds of thousands of the world’s most visited domains were inaccessible to users in Iran because of US sanctions. The restrictions have reportedly affected technology, programming and online education services, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Udemy, edX, Khan Academy, Oracle and GitLab, as well as some Docker Hub tools, Google APIs and online games.

Google Services

Google restricts new account creation for Iranian users

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