Saudi Arabia has called on Iran to provide unrestricted internet access to Cristiano Ronaldo, the internationally renowned footballer who currently plays for Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr during his visit to Iran.

In Iran, access to many international messaging apps and websites is restricted for both political and religious reasons.

This request comes in response to statements made by Iran’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, Ezzatollah Zarghami, who emphasized the need for Ronaldo to install Iranian domestic messaging apps during his visit to the country.

Zarghami’s comments followed remarks by the CEO of Persepolis Football Club during a live television program. The CEO discussed the possibility of providing unfiltered SIM cards to Al-Nassr players who would be traveling to Tehran for a match scheduled for September 19.

Following significant reactions within the Persian-speaking online community regarding these statements, the official Saudi Arabian account, communicating in Persian, made a request for VPN recommendations, stating, “For the convenience of international stars and Al-Nassr team members during their time in Tehran, please recommend the best VPN.”

This development has sparked discussions on social media, with some users viewing it as a potential source of embarrassment for the Islamic Republic.

Over the past two decades, Iran has implemented strict internet censorship policies, limiting access to unrestricted information for its citizens. This includes the blocking of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and various reputable news sources. Despite these restrictions, many Iranians have found ways to bypass them through the widespread use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and anti-filtering software.