Iranian officials had warned people to stop using WhatsApp, Telegram and other "location-based applications," according to a report from the state-run broadcaster IRIB.

Iran's government has called upon its citizens to delete WhatsApp from their phones, claiming the messaging app is gathering intel for Israel. The unsubstantiated claim was made by the country's state broadcaster on Tuesday (June 17),

Iran told its people on Tuesday to get WhatsApp off their phones, warning that Meta—the US tech company run by Mark Zuckerberg—is handing over their personal information to Israeli intelligence. This warning came straight from Iran’s state broadcaster as the country escalates both verbal and military attacks against Israel.