Although you might find Pokemon GO boring or ridiculous, it's hard to deny the incredible popularity the game has had or some of its positive side-effects.
Iran has a long history of censorship that goes back well past the 1979 Revolution and it should come as little surprise that it's become the first country in the world to ban Pokemon GO outright.
The BBC reports that the High Council For Virtual Spaces - yes, that's really their title - has banned Pokemon GO in the Islamic Republic of Iran over unspecified "security concerns." Previously, a Saudi cleric issued a fatwa against Pokemon GO, saying that it featured "forbidden" images and linked it to Western iconography and religion.
The ruling by Iran was vague and didn't specify any other reason, other than security, for the game's ban. Pokemon GO has proven quite popular in the Middle East, despite the fact that Niantic Labs has yet to officially launch the game there.
According to rumours, Iran was attempting to work with Niantic Labs about inputting restrictions on the game as illegal trespassing has become a global problem with the game. However, Iran's ban on Pokemon GO will be unlikely to have an effect on the game's popularity in the Middle East.
Via BBC
