Soroush Plus (, ''Messenger angel'') is an Iranian

cross-platform Within computing, cross-platform software (also called multi-platform software, platform-agnostic software, or platform-independent software) is computer software that is designed to work in several Computing platform, computing platforms. Some ...

instant messaging Instant messaging (IM) technology is a type of synchronous computer-mediated communication involving the immediate ( real-time) transmission of messages between two or more parties over the Internet or another computer network. Originally involv ...

(IM),

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

and

VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, is a set of technologies used primarily for voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. VoIP enables voice calls to be transmitted as ...

service developed by the Setak Houshmand Sharif. It is one of the most widely used messaging apps in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, with more than 35 million users. Soroush enables users to send text and voice messages, share images and videos, make voice and

video calls Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio signal, audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Vide ...

, share files and locations, pay bills, and access AI and services. Soroush is available on Android,

iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...

macOS macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...

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Linux Linux ( ) is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an kernel (operating system), operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically package manager, pac ...

, and the web. Registration requires a mobile telephone number.

Features

Soroush enables text and voice messaging, multimedia sharing, voice and video calls, and file sharing. It has unlimited

cloud storage Cloud storage is a model of computer data storage in which data, said to be on "the cloud", is stored remotely in logical pools and is accessible to users over a network, typically the Internet. The physical storage spans multiple servers (so ...

and is usable internationally. The platform also provides payment services for tasks such as paying bills, making purchases, and conducting transactions securely and has two step verification for securing accounts. Users can share their real-time location and access a variety of services through bots, including

customer support Customer support is a range of services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use of a product. It includes assistance in planning, installation, training, troubleshooting, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of a product. Rega ...

and bill payments.

Message Exchange Bus (MXB)

Soroush is connected to the Message Exchange Bus (MXB), which is a technology that connects major Iranian messaging platforms like

Bale Bale may refer to: Apps Bale Messenger, an Iranian instant messaging (IM) app owned by the National Bank of Iran Packaging * Cotton bale * Hay or straw bale in farming, bound by a baler * Paper bale, a unit of paper measurement equal t ...

, Eitaa, Rubika, Gap and iGap and enables users to send messages and files, make voice and video calls and more to more than 100 million users between these apps without needing a separate account for each one , offering communication regardless of the platform used..

Availability

Soroush was removed from both the

Google Play Store Google Play, also known as the Google Play Store, Play Store, or sometimes the Android Store (and was formerly Android Market), is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google. It serves as the official app store for certifie ...

and the

Apple App Store The App Store is an app marketplace developed and maintained by Apple, for mobile apps on its iOS and iPadOS operating systems. The store allows users to browse and download approved apps developed within Apple's iOS SDK. Apps can be download ...

, along with several other Iranian apps. This removal came as part of a broader action taken by these American platforms to restrict access to apps from Iran. Despite this, Soroush continues to be available through other app stores like

Bazaar A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...

and Myket and to direct download, maintaining its user base.

Privacy

Some sources have criticized the app for its potential use by the Iranian government to monitor citizens, with the BBC stating that the app is part of a wider initiative within the Iranian government to shift users away from apps like

Telegram Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas pi ...

. In 2018, some large Iranian Telegram channels were allegedly forced by state officials to migrate to Soroush, according to Article 19, a British human rights advocacy organization. Both Soroush and the Iranian government continue to maintain that they respect user's privacy and security.

References

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External links