U.S. State Department launches Farsi-language Twitter feedFebruary 14, 2011 - 11:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. State Department launched a new Farsi-language Twitter feed in a bid to connect with internet users in Iran. "US State Dept recognizes historic role of social media among Iranians. We want to join in your conversations," the department said in its first tweet. The feed was launched just one day before opposition leaders and activists in Iran have called for a protest in support of the Egyptian revolution, according to Saham News. The rally is planned to coincide with the 25th day of Bahman, the 11th month of the Persian calendar. Following the resignation Friday of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the head of Iran's National Security Council, among other Iranian authorities, lauded the leader's toppling, comparing "the Egyptian Revolution with the victory of Iran's Islamic Revolution," according to Iran's state-run media. But while publicly praising the Egyptian uprising, the government has rounded up activists after Iran's two leading opposition figures called for Monday's rally. "Iran has shown that the activities it praised Egyptians for it sees as illegal, illegitimate for its own people," the State Department said in its second tweet. In its third tweet, the department called on Iran to allow people the same right to demonstrate as Egyptians had in Cairo. The Farsi-language feed had eight followers as of Sunday night. The State Department's Arabic-language Twitter feed, launched last week, had more than 1,000 followers, CNN reported. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |