The Iranian government has ordered messaging apps and social media sites to move the stored data of Iranian citizens on the country's own servers.

The move, reportedly, is an attempt to keep closer tabs on communication being carried out by the users in the Middle Eastern nation, and stop the sharing of "immoral content".

Notably, Iran has been controlling the web activity of the citizens, restricting access to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and banning contents simultaneously.

Thus, the announcement made by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace on Sunday does not actually shock the citizens of the country.

"Foreign messaging companies active in the country are required to transfer all data and activity linked to Iranian citizens into the country in order to ensure their continued activity," Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace said in new regulations carried by state news agency IRNA on Sunday, reported Arabya.

The measure will reportedly affect Telegram in particular, which is an instant messaging app with more than 20 million registered users in the Islamic country.

Notably, according to experts, stopping the share of "immoral content" is not the end goal of Iranian authorities. By having the data stored within its borders, the authorities will be able to easily spy on traffic, delete unwanted content and seize servers. In addition, the international messaging firms will be totally under local control and regulation, reported CDA News.

Additionally, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter has been banned in Iran for years, which shows the authorities' actions in curbing "immoral content" in social media.

The companies will reportedly have one year to migrate the data to Iranian servers, and whether they will withdraw their services in the country is not yet known.

Incidentally, internet users in the Indian sub - continent previously faced a similar ban on pornographic content, but bypassed the same using technology. This brings in the question of effectiveness of the internet ban.