Google blocks access to GAE from Iran, possibly other countries

[Jan Z]

As of recently (last few days) users accessing our service are
getting:

---

Forbidden

Your client does not have permission to get URL (...) from this
server. (Client IP address: 91.98.x.y)

You are accessing this page from a forbidden country.

---

As this is not mentioned in the Terms of Service or any GAE
documentation, I've opened an issue to get the docs, the TOS, or GAE
fixed.

There are a number of organizations that legitimately operate in these
countries that are being affected (NGO's, logistics, etc.) - it's
disappointing that Google modified the service without notification.

It also appears that Google Apps itself is functioning OK, so not sure
why only components of Google infrastructure are affected?

[Ikai L (Google)]

Let me look into this. There are United States export laws that prevent us from serving countries such as Iran, Sudan, North Korea and Cuba, but if I recall correctly the Obama administration lifted these controls on some of the countries.

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----------------

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[Ikai L (Google)]

Hi Jan,

The various laws regarding exports are complex. I checked with folks knowledgeable about this matter, and it turns out that it is still illegal to export computation services such as App Engine to Iran, though some other services have been approved.

[Jan Z]

Thanks Ikai - as you might imagine this can be important for
commercial efforts.

Can we please get a list of these countries documented somewhere?

Thanks

Jan

On May 28, 9:56 am, "Ikai L (Google)" <ika...@google.com> wrote:
> Hi Jan,
>
> The various laws regarding exports are complex. I checked with folks
> knowledgeable about this matter, and it turns out that it is still illegal
> to export computation services such as App Engine to Iran, though some other
> services have been approved.
>
> On Wed, May 26, 2010 at 11:07 AM, Ikai L (Google) <ika...@google.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Let me look into this. There are United States export laws that prevent us
> > from serving countries such as Iran, Sudan, North Korea and Cuba, but if I
> > recall correctly the Obama administration lifted these controls on some of
> > the countries.
>

> > On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 5:58 PM, Jan Z <jan.zawad...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> As of recently (last few days) users accessing our service are
> >> getting:
>
> >> ---
>
> >> Forbidden
>
> >> Your client does not have permission to get URL (...) from this
> >> server. (Client IP address: 91.98.x.y)
>
> >> You are accessing this page from a forbidden country.
>
> >> ---
>
> >> As this is not mentioned in the Terms of Service or any GAE
> >> documentation, I've opened an issue to get the docs, the TOS, or GAE
> >> fixed.
>
> >> There are a number of organizations that legitimately operate in these
> >> countries that are being affected (NGO's, logistics, etc.) - it's
> >> disappointing that Google modified the service without notification.
>
> >> It also appears that Google Apps itself is functioning OK, so not sure
> >> why only components of Google infrastructure are affected?
>
> >> --
> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> >> "Google App Engine" group.
> >> To post to this group, send email to google-a...@googlegroups.com.
> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

> >> google-appengi...@googlegroups.com<google-appengine%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>
> >> .

[Mohammad Sanei]

Hi Ikai,
I understand it's illegal to use App Engine in Iran, but is it necessary that AppEngine-powered websites (such as KhanAcademy which is a popular educational website) remain blocked to Iranians?

[Kaan Soral]

I don't think its easy to single out websites like that

However I bet you can contact KhanAcademy and they can create a CloudFlare solution for blocked countries

[Shahab Siavash]

Hello,

We are still struggling with this issue from Iran.

I have got a license to use the website: www.imxprs.com (It is a service to design websites) and after that I realised that it is forbidden in Iran because of this problem.

Is it possible that anyone from Google take a look into this? Or check that maybe this has been solved or something...

I know that 2 years ago Obama administration removed these kinds of embargo against Iran! Some other services got freed, but why this? I don't really understand that wha kind of danger GAE could possibly do to the USA or the world? 

Is there any legal department of Google that we can report or sign a petition or something? These things does not affect Iranian officials, they affect people. :(

Great day.