Google restricts new account creation for Iranian users: What to know

Reports emerging from Iranian users indicate that phone numbers with the +98 country code are experiencing phone verification failures when creating new Google accounts, an issue that is in some cases bringing the registration process to a halt.

In the enrollment procedure, Google may require users to verify their phone numbers to confirm they are not bots; with reports from Iranian users indicating that Iranian numbers are sometimes rejected at this stage while in other cases they are advanced to the next round.

The main problem is that after an Iranian number is rejected, users are in some cases left without a viable alternative for identity verification. Consequently, users attempting to create an account with a +98 number can become stuck at the verification stage leaving the registration incomplete.

Notably, reports posted on Google’s support forums also show that Iranian users in months documented issues with missing authentication texts. It remains unclear whether the situation is the result of a major change in Google’s policies, and problems with SMS delivery.

The comprehensive online service filters out a number of widely used services in technology and online education including ChatGPT, Gemini, Oracle, Claude and a large number of online games.