LONDON: Iran has decided today to ban the use of the undetectable ‘Telegram’ communication application, promising it will develop a state operated application instead. Iranian opposition said that the latest measure from Tehran aims to stop the use of the app to curb the growing number of demonstrations protesting various causes from the deteriorating economic situation, wearing of the hijab, or discrimination in the mostly Iranian Arab region of Ahwaz. The head of Iran’s parliament committee for National Security Alaa Borojordi has said “the ban will come into effect by 20th of April,” according to Iran’s ILNA news agency. Borojordi added: “Iran has decided to ban the use of the undetectable ‘Telegram’ communication application but it will develop a state operated application instead.” Iran had banned ‘Telegram’ last December to prevent anti-regime demonstrations from spreading across the country. Iranians however, were able to circumvent that ban and continued to use ‘Telegram’s’ encrypted messaging service to broadcast photos and videos of the protests.