Iran has given messaging apps one year to move its storage of user data inside the country, raising concerns that Iranians using the apps could have their data accessed by the government.

Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, whose members are appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a directive on Sunday warning that “foreign messaging companies active in the country are required to transfer all data and activity linked to Iranian citizens into the country in order to ensure their continued activity.”

This requirement will especially affect the popular messaging app Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform that reportedly has 20 million users in Iran. Iranian authorities reportedly arrested leaders of more than 20 groups on Telegram last November for broadcasting “immoral content.”

Some users expressed concerns over the new regulations. A user named @Mehrdxd tweeted, “Telegram’s data centres are to be moved inside the country so they can delete what they want and arrest who they want.” (Access to Twitter and Facebook is already blocked by the Iranian government, but users have been able to beat governmental controls using widely-available software) @Gonahkar added, “I would stop using #Telegram if the servers are moved inside the country because it would not be safe anymore.”

In February, an app called Gershad, which was designed to help users avoid the morality police, was removed by authorities shortly after it was made available.

In a 2014 interview with CCTV, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attempted to justify his country’s control over social media.

Zarif dismissed concerns about his own regular use of social media in 2013, saying “that’s life.”

[Photo: Microsiervos / flickr ]