Google said its e-mail traffic in Iran has dropped sharply, with news reports of the government restricting its access in the wake of the thirty-first anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

Gmail is a popular email service in Iran and used by the younger generation, which is the backbone of the opposition movement in the country.

Google's announcement that it was working with the US National Security Agency to help with its problems in China, may have influenced Iran's decision to ban Gmail, according to Richard Stiennon, founder of a Birmingham-based internet security firm.