https://ift.tt/2pZTQBL A Tehran-based court today ordered Iranian telecommunications providers to block popular messaging app Telegram, reports The Wall Street Journal . Iran has been concerned about Telegram's role in recent protests and unrest in the country, which has led to the ban. The order said Telegram gave Islamic State "safe ground" in an attack in Tehran last year and also blamed its role in protests in December and January, the biggest in Iran in almost a decade. It ordered telecommunications providers to block the service. As of now, the Telegram app continues to be available for use without the need for a VPN or another method of circumventing the ban, and it is not clear if and when it will be rendered unavailable in the country. According to The Wall Street Journal , approximately 40 million Iranians use Telegram, accounting for one-fifth of Telegram's user base. Telegram is popular in the country as it offers end-to-end encrypted communicat...