Before travelling to Iran you will need to add a VPN to your devices. But which VPN should you use in Iran? And is the use of a VPN legal in Iran?
Here’s the VPN I personally used in Iran. And why I chose this VPN over other VPNs for Iran.
Iran | VPN
Do I need a VPN for Iran?
The short answer is yes. You will need a VPN for Iran. Without a VPN in Iran you will not be able to access the most common mobile apps and websites.
The internet and mobile applications are heavily censored in Iran. Add to the Iranian censorship US sanctions on Iran which limits foreign companies from doing business in Iran and you quickly see why you will need a VPN in Iran.
Without a VPN you will not be able to access your foreign bank accounts, popular mobile apps or accommodation booking platforms. Without a VPN in Iran you will not be able to watch Netflix, surf Snapchat or use Tinder, Telegram and many other apps.
Are VPN legal in Iran?
Yes. A VPN is legal in Iran but only if the VPN is approved by the Iranian government. Approved VPN providers are on the approved list because they allow the Iranian government to censor and monitor users.
If you’re intending to use a banned or blocked mobile app like Telegram in Iran, using a VPN that allows the government to monitor what you’re doing and which apps your using does not make sense.
A key feature of VPNs are their ability to encrypt user data and make users virtually anonymous on the internet. Using a VPN that tracks your activities and reports to a third party defeats a key purpose of having a VPN.
In order to use a VPN not approved by the Iranian government a user will need to be undetectable so as to remain anonymous.
What are obfuscated VPN servers?
Obfuscated servers can help you remain anonymous on the internet. This function hides the fact that you use a VPN by changing your data packets and hiding all the VPN metadata. In this case, a snooping organization won’t be able to see that you use a VPN.
In countries with restrictive internet policies you can be punished if caught using a VPN illegally. You could be blocked by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), fined or imprisoned.
In Iran you should only use a VPN that has obfuscated servers and a kill switch to cut off the device from the internet if it becomes unprotected.
The VPN I used and why
I personally used NordVPN in Iran and recommend if not only for Iran, but most countries. I have used NordVPN on all my devices for over 5 years.
When I was choosing a VPN for Iran I didn’t want to be the guinea pig testing out a product found on the internet. In these circumstances I wanted to know the product I was going to use would work. And I wanted to use a product that others before me had used and also recommended.
So before travelling to Iran I researched my preferred VPN and found that yes, NordVPN was also the recommended VPN for Iran.
NordVPN uses a large global network of obfuscated servers and it has an inbuilt kill switch to shut off the connection if it becomes unsecured. Thus I used NordVPN in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Ramsar on the Caspian Sea and I had a fast, secure and trouble free connection.
I’ve now used NordVPN in Iran and a range of difficult locations including Cuba. And NordVPN has functioned flawlessly.
NordVPN can be found here: https://nordvpn.com
And if you’re already in Iran and looking for information on how to download a VPN from inside Iran, see our article on how to download a VPN from blocked countries.
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