Facebook unblocked in Iran in run-up to presidential vote

May 26, 2009, 12:40 GMT

   Tehran - Iran's judiciary restored access to Facebook Tuesday after the blocking of the social-networking website led to a heated debate in Iran's presidential campaign.

   Facebook was blocked Saturday, and the labour news agency ILNA, which supports moderate Mir-Hossein Moussavi in the June 12 presidential election, denounced the action as a political move by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government against Moussavi, who is considered Ahmadinejad's main rival.

   Ahmadinejad rejected the charges Monday and promised to make inquiries with the judiciary for restoring access to the site.

   Facebook is one of the most popular websites in Iran, where the number of its members has increased dramatically, reportedly to 150,000.

   According to figures from the communication ministry, the number of internet users has increased to 23 million out of a total population of 70 million Iranians.

   Iranians under the age of 25 and potential Internet users comprise more than half the 46.2 million eligible voters, prompting all four candidates - Ahmadinejad, Moussavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Mohsen Rezaei - to try to attract their support.