UK-Based Founders of Gap Messenger Accused of Sharing Data with Iranian Regime

Hadi and Mahdi Anjidani, cofounders of TS Information Technology (TSIT), a UK-registered branch of an Iranian software company, are at the center of controversy surrounding Gap Messenger, a popular Iranian messaging app. TSIT, established in 2010 and registered in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, develops various digital products including computer games, a payment platform, and Gap Messenger. The app is promoted as an encrypted alternative to Telegram, claiming not to share user data with third parties. However, investigations by Iranian digital rights organizations contradict these claims, alleging that Gap Messenger collaborates with the Iranian government to monitor and suppress dissent.

FilterWatch, an organization monitoring internet censorship in Iran, identified Gap Messenger as a key participant in the Iranian government's internet control efforts. Leaked emails from the Iranian attorney general’s office in late 2022 reportedly show that Gap Messenger handed over user information to censorship authorities. Mahdi Anjidani, TSIT’s CEO, has publicly supported the Iranian regime’s censorship policies and has ties to influential government figures, including former deputy communications minister Amir Mohammadzadeh Lajevardi. His social media presence includes photos with former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, underscoring his close connections to the regime.

Gap Messenger operates within Iran’s national internet, a government-controlled domestic network designed to isolate Iranian users from the global internet. This network supports about 93 million people and is part of a broader strategy by the Iranian government to maintain control amid widespread anti-government protests and severe internet shutdowns. Domestic messaging apps like Gap are promoted by authorities to channel users onto platforms that facilitate surveillance and censorship. Experts argue that these local apps are less about fostering innovation and more about consolidating government control, enabling easier monitoring and silencing of dissent without the legal protections that global platforms offer.

Despite these concerns, Gap Messenger remains popular, with over one million downloads on Google Play and four million on Iran’s Cafe Bazaar app store. The app offers features such as built-in payments, games, online calls, and themed stickers. Beyond Gap, the Anjidani brothers are linked to multiple digital ventures, including a social network, an SMS advertising service, and MihanPayment, which integrates with Iran’s banking system to facilitate international transactions. These platforms enjoy privileges reserved for a select few within Iran’s tightly controlled tech ecosystem, likened by experts to oligarchic structures seen in other authoritarian regimes.

Attempts to contact the Anjidanis for comment were unsuccessful. Their UK residence is described as reclusive, and their office in Hove operates with minimal public interaction. In Iran, Mahdi Anjidani is portrayed as a rising tech entrepreneur who publicly supports the regime’s narrative, framing sanctions as opportunities and advocating for stricter controls on foreign messaging apps and VPNs. This alignment with government policies and the alleged cooperation of Gap Messenger with censorship authorities raise significant concerns about user privacy and the role of technology in enabling authoritarian control.

The case of Gap Messenger illustrates the complex intersection of technology, geopolitics, and human rights. While the app provides digital services to millions within Iran, it also appears to function as a tool for government surveillance and repression. This situation highlights the challenges faced by users in authoritarian contexts, where digital platforms may simultaneously offer connectivity and compromise personal freedoms. It also underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in software development, especially when apps operate in politically sensitive environments.