Twitter erupted yesterday with excited messages from activists and media figures who speculated that the brief restoration of Facebook and Twitter in Iran signaled a new era of freedom under President Hassan Rowhani.
The New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof praised the "progress in Iran!" while the paper’s Tehran bureau chief Thomas Erdbrink wondered whether "Iran’s Berlin Wall of internet censorship" was "crumbling down."
#Iranians Gain Access to Facebook and Twitter. Send a tweet to new Pres #Rouhani welcoming him to reality! http://t.co/9ldNBVPfCF
— Bessma Momani (@b_momani) September 17, 2013
Welcome back, Tehran! @ErshadAlijani reports that Great Persian Firewall has been removed on Facebook and Twitter for Iranians.
— Doug Saunders (@DougSaunders) September 16, 2013
Meanwhile, progress in Iran! RT @JamalDajani: "@csmonitor: Facebook and Twitter now accessible in #Iran http://t.co/LRcodD4WU2"
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) September 17, 2013
Is Iran's Berlin Wall of internet censorship crumbling down? I am tweeting from Tehran from my cell without restrictions.
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 16, 2013
1 week, 3 news #Iran: Khamenei supposedly authorizing nuclear negotiations; Rouhani ready to close nuclear plants; free access to Twitter.
— Renata Malkes (@rmalkes) September 16, 2013
Like Twitter, NIAC's website appears not to be blocked in #Iran any longer. @ThomasErdbrink @CDA @jrezaian
— NIAC (@NIACouncil) September 16, 2013
I'm happy that my first tweet from Iran via the mobile network is on the unblocking of #Twitter and #Facebook
— Ali Hashem علي هاشم (@alihashem_tv) September 16, 2013
Here's @jrezaian's report from Tehran and Iran suddenly turning social media back on. Really big deal. http://t.co/6lQvpnxZm5
— Max Fisher (@Max_Fisher) September 16, 2013
Some users in Iran say Facebook & Twitter no more blocked. Is Iran lifting their filtering in the light of Rouhani cabinet social presence?
— Saeed Kamali Dehghan (@SaeedKD) September 16, 2013
Access to #Facebook unblocked in certain parts of #Iran, Internet users say. #Twitter + FB have been blocked since 2009 election. #Rouhani
— Adam Hedengren (@AHedengren) September 16, 2013
I can't believe it, but the truth is iranians can surf in facebook and twitter freely now!
— ERSHAD ALIJANI (@ErshadAlijani) September 16, 2013
The celebration was short-lived. By Tuesday the social media sites were blocked again. The Iranian government said the lapse was due to a glitch in the nation’s firewall.
#Iran's loosening of restrictions on #twitter and #facebook show #rouhani seeks more open future...oh...wait...nvrmnd http://t.co/455PMoVIFw
— Christopher DeVito (@DeVitoChris) September 17, 2013