My GitHub account was flagged and I can't verify my phone number because I'm from Iran

[dadgarjavaneh-lab]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Actions

Body

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for some advice because I'm currently stuck and don't know what else to do.

A few weeks ago, I started building my GitHub portfolio for my CCNA networking labs. I've been uploading Cisco router configurations, network topology screenshots, and documentation for my learning projects.

Recently, I noticed something was wrong:

My repositories are set to Public, but only I can see them.
Anyone else receives a 404 Not Found page.
My repositories don't appear in GitHub search.
Images inside my repositories don't load because the repositories themselves are inaccessible.

After trying to contact GitHub Support, I found out that my account has been flagged.

GitHub asks me to complete SMS verification before I can submit a support request, but unfortunately I live in Iran, and GitHub doesn't seem to support sending verification codes to Iranian mobile numbers.

I'd also like to mention that, because of internet restrictions in my country, I have to use a VPN to access GitHub and upload my projects. If my account activity looked suspicious because my IP address changed, it was only due to these restrictions—not because I was trying to abuse the platform.

My account is only used for educational purposes. I'm studying networking (CCNA) and building a public portfolio to showcase my hands-on labs. I have never used GitHub for spam, automation, or any activity that violates GitHub's policies.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation?

Is there any way to contact GitHub Support without completing SMS verification?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

[shourya011]

This is a sanctions flag, not a ban for abuse — GitHub actually has a license to serve Iranian users, so there's a real appeal path here, not a dead end.
The SMS wall is the annoying part. Try using the general "Contact Us" form instead of going through the flagged-account flow — it sometimes skips the phone step. If you can get access to any non-Iranian number (friend abroad, VOIP, whatever), that'll get you past it too, and it's what most people in your situation end up doing.
When you do reach support, just be clear it's a sanctions flag appeal (not abuse), your number can't receive their SMS, and the VPN is only there because of your country's own internet restrictions, not to hide your location. That last part matters to them.
It takes a while for a lot of people, but accounts do get unflagged this way.