Durov: Telegram ready to cut ties with authorities of Russia, Iran

MOSCOW, Sep 29 (PRIME) -- Messenger Telegram can cut all ties with the governments of Russia and Iran because it regularly faces accusations and restrictions, the messenger’s founder Pavel Durov said on Friday on his Telegram channel.

On Wednesday, Durov said that Russia’s Federal Security Service has compiled a protocol against Telegram for violation of the so-called Yarovaya laws, which may lead to litigations. On Tuesday, Iranian news agency ISNA said that the country has launched a criminal case against Durov as Telegram is popular among members of the Islamic State terroristic group, and is used in drug smuggling and human trafficking.

“We are always ready to cut our personal and business ties with these countries so that they have no leverage of influence on us. They may try to block us on their own territory, but, just as I said in my previous post about China, even this may not help them. In the end, freedom and privacy of private life will prevail,” Durov said.

Telegram has no legal presence in Russia and Iran after it terminated relations with St. Petersburg company Telegraph which protected the messenger from spam after Russian authorities allegedly threatened to close the messenger. “If you approve archaic laws that limit freedom, the only thing that you get is you kill your economy,” he said, adding that Google, Oracle, and Skype have already closed offices in Russia over the past several years.

The situation in Iran is not that much better, but it looks like it is improving in the right way. Despite disputes among Iranian politicians on how to regulate the Internet, Iran does not block Telegram, he said.

Communications Minister Nikolai Nikiforov said on Thursday that Telegram will not work in Russia, like any other internet service company, if it does not comply with legislation. Presidential Internet adviser German Klimenko said earlier in September that Durov will have to cooperate with the government, or his messenger will cease to exist as no state will tolerate anonymous sources in their territory.

End