In the light of anti-government protests across the country, Iranian authorities have blocked access to many websites including social media websites such as Instagram, Telegram, and YouTube.
While some of the bans were lifted, Telegram remains completely blocked even in 2021. Overall, internet freedom remains highly restricted in Iran. The only way to restore your internet freedom as of now is by using a VPN.
In this blog, I’m going to help you shortlist which VPN works in Iran. I will recommend 6 of the best VPNs for Iran that will help you unblock social media websites and other blocked services without compromising on privacy.
But first, let’s have a brief overview of some of the best Iran VPNs in 2021:
- ExpressVPN – Best overall VPN to use in Iran
- Surfshark – Fast VPN service capable of unblocking most Iranian content
- NordVPN – Best geo unblocking VPN to use in Iran with obfuscated servers
- PureVPN – Overall best VPN service to use in Iran at $3.33/mo
- CyberGhost – Amazing private browsing VPN with 24 servers in Iran
- PIA– Best torrenting VPN to use in Iran with over 20,000 servers worldwide
6 Best VPN for Iranians in 2021
Iran may have internet censorship that prevents users from accessing many websites that aren’t compliant with local laws, however, with these recommended best VPN for Iran, you can get rid of any form of geo-block imaginable.
1. ExpressVPN – Best Overall VPN for Iran
ExpressVPN is perhaps one of the most renowned VPNs in the world. It has apps available for all popular platforms and is incredibly easy to use. You can even simultaneously use these apps on 5 different devices with a single subscription.
ExpressVPN provides more than 3,000+ servers in 94 countries. Considering this, and the fact that it offers the best VPN streaming experience, I think it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t include it in this list of best Iran VPN.
Like most other VPNs in this list, ExpressVPN also doesn’t offer a server in Iran. That said, if you’re living outside of Iran but still wants to access local Iran TV, you can do that by connecting to either Indian or Azerbaijan server of ExpressVPN.
Aside from server coverage, ExpressVPN offers features like 128-bit and 256-bit encryption and an extensive set of protocols which include OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, and SSTP.
The only con of ExpressVPN is that it is somewhat expensive. A month’s service costs $6.67/mo . If you want to know more about this service, you can refer to our ExpressVPN review.
2. Surfshark – Fastest VPN for Iran
Surfshark is the fastest VPN you will find in the market. It also comes with a low price of $2.49/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee. One feature that makes Surfshark so unique is its unlimited simultaneous connections.
It has about 3,200+ servers in 65 countries that are perfectly capable of unblocking US Netflix, Hulu, and any other foreign website that is blocked in Iran. Similar to ExpressVPN, Surfshark also doesn’t store VPN logs of any kind.
This VPN service also doesn’t offer servers in Iran, however, it can still help you access some local content from the servers present in nearby countries like India. Considering that Surfshark is labeled as one of the best VPN for Indians, it should also be sufficient for our friends in Iran.
Please refer to our Surfshark review if you want additional information about this VPN.
3. NordVPN – Top VPN for Iran
Last but not least, we have NordVPN. With over 5,500+ servers across the globe, NordVPN is among the best VPN in Iran in terms of network coverage. Even though NordVPN doesn’t come with any Iranian servers, it is still perfectly capable of unblocking most locally geo-blocked content in Iran.
As for features, NordVPN supports P2P, DNS leak protection, Kill switch, and other powerful security features including obfuscation technology.
But despite offering such amazing features, NordVPN only costs a modest $3.71/mo and is covered by a full 30-day refund policy.
For more information, check out our exclusive NordVPN review. You can also avail NordVPN trial before purchasing.
4. PureVPN – Best for Iran
PureVPN consists of a unique set of features, which probably makes it one of the best VPN to use in Iran. It provides access to over 6,500+ servers from over 140+ countries.
It may not have servers in Iran, but the fact that it has worldwide servers, it will allow you to unblock all foreign content that can’t be accessed in Iran. Many of these servers provide an optimum level of speed that makes them perfect for Iranians who wish to stream high-quality videos.
Aside from it being the best overall VPN to use in Iran, PureVPN is pretty budget-friendly and only costs $3.33/mo . As standard, it also comes with 31-days money-back guarantee.
Some other appealing features of PureVPN are its user-friendly client, NAT firewall, P2P compatibility, Internet Kill Switch, and NAT firewall.
Also, PureVPN does not keep logs and 24/7 customer support. Even PureVPN is on top of the list of best VPN Kodi and best VPN FireStick.
5. CyberGhost – Secure VPN for Irish Users
CyberGhost is another awesome VPN you can use in Iran. Not only is it quite affordable ( $2.25/mo ), but it also comes with a 45-days money-back guarantee.
One thing I really like about CyberGhost is the fact that it offers 24 actual servers in Iran. You can also easily access Live Sports, News, and Entertainment from all over the world thanks to its 6,600+ server network. It is definitely a one-click solution for the people of Iran because it helps in unblocking any website without compromising on privacy.
In terms of performance, CyberGhost works exceptionally well with Netflix and torrenting. Best of all, With a single CyberGhost account, you can protect up to 7 devices at the same time.
For more information on this provider, please visit our CyberGhost review.
6. PIA VPN – Best for Torrenting in Iran
Next up, we have PIA VPN. With over 20,000 servers available in 77+ locations, PIA can help you with pretty any foreign content you can imagine. PIA is also super secure with top notch security protocols and encryption.
Although it doesn’t have servers in Iran, you can still access local Iranian content without getting blocked by local ISPs. It further offers 256-bit encryption, Kill Switch, Port forwarding, and Split Tunneling, which is just the type of protection and Iranian need.
One aspect where PIA really shines is its ability to download torrents. In fact, PIA is particularly useful if you are located in Iran and want to download torrents because it has thousands of servers all across the world, and you can choose your desired server location.
The price of PIA is $2.69/mo and all of its subscription plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Please look at our PIA review for more information.
Best Free VPN for Iran
Free VPNs are always tempting, but they can be a disaster for you when you use them in Iran. You see, a VPN that offers a free service normally gains profits by selling users’ information.
But not all VPNs do that of course. Below you will find some free Irish VPNs that are good to use:
While the idea of using a free VPN is very tempting, we would highly recommend against it in countries like Iran, China, or Pakistan, where the government is constantly involved in mass surveillance. Any remarks made about government or religion can seriously put you in the trouble and you may find yourself against legal action. Therefore, the only way to ensure your complete and secure online privacy and protection especially in Pakistan is by using the Best VPN for Pakistan.
Why you need a VPN in Iran?
Internet censorship is widely prevalent in Iran. In fact, Freedom House, US-funded non-government organization ranks Iran 85 on their internet freedom rankings. Along with these restrictions, there are also growing concerns about government surveillance in the country.
Not only are the Iranians restricted from accessing popular social networking and video streaming website, but their online activity is also observed for any violation of the country’s moral codes. It can be said that using a VPN in Iran is not even a choice, it is a necessity.
With a VPN, people of Iran can connect to foreign servers and enjoy geo-restricted content. Not just that, VPNs can also hide their IP address to stop the government from monitoring their digital activity.
Are VPNs Allowed in Iran?
In Iran, you are not allowed to use VPNs that are not sanctioned by the government. Technically, one could end up in prison for a year for using a VPN prohibited by the state. More specifically, using any VPN that has not been permitted by the Iranian government can lead you to 91 days to 1 year of imprisonment.
That being said, despite all the sanctions, millions of Iranian regularly use VPNs to access sites like Facebook and Twitter, but hardly anyone gets arrested. This is because the government only targets dissidents through cyber laws and pretty much overlooks normal VPN users. But still, it’s never a bad idea to use VPNs in Iran.
Benefits of Using VPN in Iran
64% of the Iranian population has access to the Internet but are restricted from enjoying quality content available on the world’s top websites. VPNs provide them a way out of this dilemma.
By using a good VPN for Iran, they can enjoy quality content on YouTube and connect with their friends and family on Facebook.
Also, their data would remain secure from hackers and their local ISPs including their original IP addresses. On 7th January 2016, Netflix officially launched its service in Iran. But just in a short span of time, Netflix was blocked by the Iranian government. But the good news is, a VPN helps you unblock Netflix with ease.
How to Use the best VPN for Iran
In order to use the best Irish VPN, you will need to follow these instructions:
- Subscribe to a VPN service (I recommend using ExpressVPN)
- Download the ExpressVPN on your device
- Install the application
- Connect to a US server if you want to access foreign websites
- Once connected, start streaming!
Blocked Websites in Iran
Blocked websites are a problem in Iran. The government has restricted access to all those websites that intervene in their social value. The Iranian government does not compromise on those values.
Here is a list of websites that are blocked in the country:
- Netflix
- Google Services
- Hulu
- HBO
The only way to access these websites from Iran is by using a VPN service. I have recommended using ExpressVPN since it is one of the best overall VPN in terms of performance.
Censorship Issues in Iran
By now, you must have some idea of Iran’s weird censorship laws. Even in 2021, Iranian cyberspace is still riddled with numerous issues. Let’s go through some widespread online issues that are still prevalent in Iran.
Online Surveillance
Although hard to believe, but the Iranian government actively monitors the online traffic of its citizens. Believe it or not, the Iranian government actually evesdrops on its citizen’s email messages and even chat conversations. Worst of all, the government mandates all local ISPs to store logs of its citizens for a minimum of 90 days.
Bandwidth Throttling
Another massive issue in Iran is bandwidth throttling. ISPs across Iran are infamous for throttling the bandwidth of users who try and access foreign unapproved content. This is done to discourage users from accessing any state disapproved content in the first place.
Mass Online Censorships
Even in 2021, most foreign websites are blocked in Iran. According to one estimate, more than 500 mainstream websites are blocked in the country. You can’t access YouTube, Facebook, and not even Twitter. In addition, foreign news sites are also blocked due to obvious reasons. Worst of all, Iran’s cyberspace can even detect and block most VPNs in the country.
FAQs
Yes, Iran is one of the countries that has banned Facebook. The only way you can access Facebook in Iran is with a Virtual Private Network.
To gain ultimate privacy in Iran, it is recommended that you enable every protection feature your VPN app offers. For instance, you should enable features like kill switch, use the most secure protocol, and obfuscated servers.
To be honest, no many VPNs work in Iran. To be more specific, only the VPNs recommended in this blog post are capable of working in Iran.
The reason why your VPN might not be working in Iran is because of VPN blockers. Similar to the Great Firewall of China, Iran can also intercept, detect and block VPN traffic. That being said, there is only a handful of VPN such as the ones listed above that can bypass blockers in Iran.
Conclusion
Every person regardless of nationality should have internet freedom. But unfortunately, many countries around the world impose harsh restrictions on the online liberty of their citizens. Sadly, that’s exactly the case for Iran.
But there is still some silver lining out there. By using the above-mentioned best VPN for Iran, you can easily bypass any restrictions in your way all while keeping your online identity safe.
If you’re interested in other VPNs that you can use anywhere in the world with maximum discounts, check out the exclusive VPN deal of top providers and save upto 81% discounts against VPNs for a one-time payment.
hi, great article, so is there anyway to buy one of these without a visa card or such, cause I don’t, but in iran currency I can buy it.
Hi lipstho,
The easiest way to get a vpn service though is by paying it with credit card. I got Astrill and used my card to pay it, once processed, you can easily start and use the service.
Yes, these VPNs offer different payment methods such as bank transfer, Bitcoin, and others. Whichever you prefer.