Telegram’s upcoming blockchain network, TON and its native cryptocurrency, Gram, may pose security risks and challenge local currencies, or so believes Hassan Firouzabadi, the secretary of Iran's High Council for Cyberspace.
Iranian authorities and lawmakers appear to be against the messaging app, which is widely used in the country, and is believed to have been instrumental in allowing protestors to organize demonstrations in December last year.
Telegram to be blocked in Iran?
According to Al-Monitor, parliamentary member Alaeddin Boroujerdi spoke about a possible ban on Telegram in the country, and shared plans for it to be replaced with a local app.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also commented on the need for local messaging applications to eliminate monopolies, but spoke against blocking Telegram in order to achieve this goal.
However, Hassan Firouzabadi, the secretary of the High Council for Cyberspace, responsible for policies related to the internet, spoke against Telegram, calling it “an enemy of the private sector”.
Telegram crypto a threat to national currency
He also expressed concerns about Telegram’s planned cryptocurrency, terming it a threat:
“Telegram is not a dominant messenger in any country except for Iran…Telegram has officially announced that it will be used as an economic platform, and Telegram will undermine the national currency of Iran.
We cannot allow [Telegram’s virtual] currency to enter the country.”
Earlier, we reported Telegram’s plan to launch its own ICO to develop a blockchain network which would rival Bitcoin, Ethereum and all other popular cryptocurrencies.
Given the app’s massive penetration around the world, it made sense for it to launch its own cryptocurrency and push it to users already part of the ecosystem.
While initially there were plans for a public sale to be launched, after the first private sale, Telegram decided not to go down the crowdfunding path and restrict participation to qualified investors.
This week the ICO completed its second private sale round, raising $850 million to reach a grand total of $1.7 billion, the highest number ever for an initial coin offering.
Whether or not Iran will go ahead and block the Telegram app remains to be seen, but if it takes such a measure, it would be an example of how governments can exercise control over blockchain networks which don’t fall in line.
This article appeared first on Cryptovest
