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Iran is discouraging its people from using free VPNs
As the internet gets restricted, VPN demand has soared across the country since June 13.
- Iran officials are reportedly discouraging citizens from using popular free VPN apps
- VPN demand has soared among Iranians since June 13, 2025, when recent internet restrictions began
- Internet connectivity has also reportedly been low across the country since June 18
As people in Iran search for ways to stay connected, the Iranian authorities are warning its citizens from using VPN services.
In a tweet on Monday, the nation warned its citizens that free VPNs not only put their own data at risk but also the security of the entire country.
"More than half of free VPNs collect your very sensitive information and send it to servers abroad, without your knowledge or permission. Hola VPN transfers user data to a company called Luminati, which is based in Israel," reads a tweet shared on Monday, June 23, 2025, by Fars News Agency, which is managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
بیش از نصف فیلترشکنهای رایگان، بدون اینکه شما دقیقاً بدانید و اجازه دهید، اطلاعات خیلی حساس شما را جمعآوری و به سرورهایی در خارج از کشور ارسال میکنند. فیلترشکن Hola VPN، اطلاعات کاربران را به شرکتی بهنام Luminati منتقل میکند که در اسرائیل مستقر است. pic.twitter.com/tcRHZKEggIJune 23, 2025
The warning comes with VPN demand skyrocketing in Iran since June 13, after internet restrictions were enforced.
Data coming from Top10VPN confirmed peaks of up to 707% over the baseline level, with the spike in VPN demand still ongoing at the time of writing.
Despite this increase, however, VPN usage also appears to be a target within the country with users lamenting that their apps are not working consistently.
Since June 18, Iran has also experienced a near-total internet blackout, as internet watchdog NetBlocks reported, further impacting the ability to use the best VPN apps.
Is using a free VPN safe?
We have long warned about the risks of using free VPN services at TechRadar. Some free VPN apps may collect users data to target them with ads or simply to sell one. Hackers may also use these applications to spread malware and other malicious software.
Hola VPN, specifically, was found to be sell its users' idle bandwidth through Luminati back in 2015. It's also infamous for collecting a lot of identifiable information about its users.
Head of Research at Top10VPN, Simon Migliano agrees that Hola VPN and other unsecured freebies are a poor choice for Iranians (or anyone else for that matter) because of their serious privacy and security shortcomings.
That said, Migliano told TechRadar, "For the Iranian government to instruct its citizens to avoid ALL free VPNs is simply disingenuous."
"The truth is that there are several trustworthy free VPNs, like Proton VPN and Windscribe, which employ strong security standards alongside privacy-friendly logging policies. They are completely safe to use and the Iranian government knows that very well," he added.
Iranian Information Security Analyst and women’s rights advocate Azam Jangrevi also confirmed to TechRadar that Iran's authorities previously released some VPNs that aren't safe.
She said: "Iranian officials discourage free tools, citing poor encryption, data misuse, and potential ties to surveillance schemes. Some 'free' VPN apps may have been developed or quietly approved by authorities to monitor online behavior under the guise of privacy.
"Digital rights groups advise Iranians to rely on reputable paid VPNs with stealth features, rotate providers when blocked, and avoid downloading apps through suspicious links or ads."
Iran's VPN crackdown
The Iranian authorities have long tried to prevent the use of VPNs in Iran. Iran was second only to China for VPN censorship in 2023.
These blocks continued in 2024 with Iran topping the VPN censoring list across the country's official app stores.
In February 2024, the Iranian authorities went a step further by banning the use of "unauthorized" VPNs without a legal permit. Three months later, the government also resurrected an internet bill that could put VPN use at further risk.
Yet, as Jangrevi told TechRadar: "Despite heavy censorship, VPN usage inside Iran has surged in response to state-imposed blackouts. Users report that paid VPNs with advanced obfuscation still work though not reliably."
