UK launches social media for Iranians

The British government said it launched a new Internet social media platform to open a direct dialogue with the Iranian people. Dubbed UK for Iranians, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office describes the Web site and social media presence as a chance for London to provide "an accurate and undistorted picture" of British policy toward Iran. London said it was committed to keeping in touch with the Iranian people in any way possible now that its embassy in Tehran was closed. The FCO said bilateral relations with Iran were "clearly difficult" adding "we want to be as open as we can to the people of Iran." Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last week called for a Supreme Council of Cyberspace to assess the impact the Internet had on social life and "to prevent damages." The Iranian government had blocked Internet traffic and inhibited some cellular phone traffic in an apparent effort to silence opponents of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad following his contested election victory in 2009. Human rights groups allege Iran cracked down on free speech ahead of parliamentary elections in early March.