# Bypassing Telegram API Restrictions with Cloudflare Workers

## The Problem: Telegram API is Blocked in Iran

Telegram’s API is blocked in Iran, making it inaccessible on all local hosting providers. This means that if your bot is hosted on an Iranian server, it cannot directly communicate with `api.telegram.org`.

I recently faced this issue while developing a **Go-based Telegram bot**. At first, in a simple solution, I tried using **proxies** inside my bot’s HTTP client, but I faced many issues and decided to use a better approach.

## The Solution: Cloudflare Workers

Cloudflare Workers is a serverless platform that allows developers to run lightweight functions at the network edge. I decided to set up a Cloudflare Worker to act as a **reverse proxy**.

### What is a Reverse Proxy?

A **reverse proxy** is a server that forwards requests on behalf of another server. In this case, instead of your bot directly calling:

```plaintext
https://api.telegram.org/bot<TOKEN>/getMe
```

It calls:

```plaintext
https://YOUR_WORKER_ADDRESS/bot<TOKEN>/getMe
```

The Cloudflare Worker then **forwards** the request to Telegram’s API and returns the response back to your bot. This completely **bypasses any regional restrictions**.

## How to Set Up Cloudflare Workers for Telegram API

### Step 1: Create a Cloudflare Worker

1.  Go to Cloudflare Workers and create a new Worker.
    
2.  Replace the default hello world script with the following code:
    

```javascript
export default {
  async fetch(request) {
      const url = new URL(request.url);
      url.hostname = "api.telegram.org";
      
      const modifiedRequest = new Request(url, {
          method: request.method,
          headers: request.headers,
          body: request.method === "GET" ? null : request.body
      });

      return fetch(modifiedRequest);
  }
};
```

3.  Save and deploy the Worker.
    

### Step 2: Use the Created Worker

You just need to replace `https://api.telegram.org` with `https://YOUR_WORKER_ADDRESS` in any framework or language. For example, in Go:

```go
var (
    Bot              *tgbotapi.BotAPI
    TelegramBotToken string
)

func InitTelegram() {
    TelegramBotToken = os.Getenv("TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN")
    proxyURL := os.Getenv("TELEGRAM_PROXY_URL") // https://YOUR_WORKER_ADDRESS
    var err error
    Bot, err = tgbotapi.NewBotAPIWithAPIEndpoint(TelegramBotToken, proxyURL+"/bot%s/%s")
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
        return
    }
    log.Printf("Authorized on account %s", Bot.Self.UserName)
}
```

## Why Use Cloudflare Workers?

*   **No need for a VPS**
    
*   **Fast and free (With some limitation)**
    
*   **Easy to deploy and maintain**
    
*   **Bypasses regional restrictions effortlessly**
    

## Conclusion

If you are facing **Telegram API restrictions in Iran or any other country**, Cloudflare Workers is a **powerful and free solution** to keep your bot running smoothly. By simply rerouting requests through a Worker, you can avoid direct blocks and enjoy **uninterrupted access** to Telegram’s API.

**Have you tried this solution? Let me know your experience in the comments!**