Obama decries Iran's "electronic curtain"

In a message marking the New Year Norwuz, President Obama spoke out against the "electronic curtain" imposed around the Iranian people by the government of Tehran, March 20, 2012. / WhiteHouse.gov

(CBS News) In a video message to the Iranian people Tuesday, President Barack Obama decried the "electronic curtain" with which Tehran has cut off its citizens from the rest of the world, and shared his hope that the Iranian government would end those restrictions.

"The Iranian people are denied the basic freedom to access the information that they want," Mr. Obama said. "Instead, the Iranian government jams satellite signals to shut down television and radio broadcasts. It censors the Internet to control what the Iranian people can see and say. The regime monitors computers and cell phones for the sole purpose of protecting its own power. And in recent weeks, the Internet restrictions have become so severe that Iranians cannot communicate freely with their loved ones within Iran, or beyond its borders.

"Technologies that should empower citizens are being used to repress them," he said. "Because of the actions of the Iranian regime, an electronic curtain has fallen around Iran - a barrier that stops the free flow of information and ideas into the country, and denies the rest of the world the benefit of interacting with the Iranian people, who have so much to offer."

The president said that America seeks a dialogue with Iranians, and announced that his administration was implementing a "Virtual Embassy" online (the U.S. presently does not have diplomatic relations with Iran), and is using Farsi in its Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus communications.

He also said that, despite U.S.-imposed sanctions on Tehran, the Obama administration Tuewsday is issuing new guidelines to make it easier for American businesses to provide software and services that foster better access to the Internet for the Iranian people.

"The United States will continue to draw attention to the electronic curtain that is cutting the Iranian people off from the world," he said, "and we hope that others will join us in advancing a basic freedom for the Iranian people: the freedom to connect with one another, and with their fellow human beings."

Alluding to the Arab Spring, Mr. Obama added, "Over the last year, we have learned once more that suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away," and said that if the government in Tehran pursues a "responsible path," including with regard to its nuclear program, Iran "will be welcomed once more among the community of nations, and the Iranian people will have greater opportunities to prosper."

The president shared his comments on the occasion of the Persian New Year, Nowruz. The White House also posted videos of Mr. Obama's message in English, and with Persian and Arabic translations.

The president said he and first lady Michelle Obama extended their best wishes to those celebrating Nowruz around the world - "coming together to celebrate the hope that comes with renewal. ...

"To the people of Iran, this holiday comes at a time of continued tension between our two countries. But as people gather with their families, do good deeds, and welcome a new season, we are also reminded of the common humanity that we share," Mr. Obama said.

"So in this season of new beginnings, the people of Iran should know that the United States of America seeks a future of deeper connections between our people - a time when the electronic curtain that divides us is lifted and your voices are heard; a season in which mistrust and fear are overcome by mutual understanding and our common hopes as human beings."

You can watch President Obama's message by clicking on the video player below.

[yuiu90]

OBAMA IS A ZIONIST DECEPTIVE LIAR.
AMID US SANCTION AGAINST IRAN, OBAMA IS SENDING A MESSAGE OF LOVE TO IRANIANS.
OBAMA IS A ZIONIST DECEPTIVE LIAR.

[smittyc]

We need to get out of the way and let Israel do what needs to be done.

[verrz]

Well duh, that nation is under seige. Of course they will try and jam cyber propoganda attacks of this nature. I am not siding with Iran or opposing Israel. Just stating the obvious. It's a crying shame too that these two nations have absolutely no communication with each other on the governmental level. Even at the height of the Cold War, with Soviet threats of annihilating capiatalists, the U.S. and the Soviet Union communicated with one another. There is no excuse this kind of childish petulence then in the case of this stand off.

[scottyusa123]

These type of restrictions is why you will never see a successful "Arab Spring" there. I feel bad for the iranian people having to live under these blowhards that will never bring them anything but more misery.

[rainbowbrew]

Sounds like what the GOP is trying to do herein the states.

Yep keep them uniformed or better yet tell them spins and lies.

[longtree-2009]

iran is a sovereign nation and can do what it wants within its borders. obama has no right to tell them what to do or even ask them to do something within their borders. why isn't obama coming down hard on china, or north korea? perhaps it's easier for obama to bully small nation states like libya, iran, etc.

[Threewarriors]

President Obombus can launch nuclear missiles but cant control the artificial price of oil. We dont want to hear your blah blah blah speeches.

[RobertBeyers]

I know you are being sarcastic but the reality is, he can launch nukes, and he has no control over the price of oil.

[Atheist_al_Qaeda]

Obama is annoyed that he can't get his ugly spotty mug on Iranian TV and instigate the Iranian people into getting slaughtered in a revolt against Ahmadinejad like in Eygpt and now in Syria.

[cheeksforus]

I good speech I think but it will fall on deaf ears. As long as countries like China and Russia pretend not to see repression for their sake the world will continue with turmoil, hate and people being killed for the sake of someones small ideological vision.

[ConSense]

Brilliant, myopinionpal! Bush did, rightfully, call Iran a part of the Axis of Evil. He also demostrated a willingness to militarily intervene in two other, uncooperative countries. Agree with decision to invade or not, it's still a message to Iran that there's a consequence for going too far. Obama has already surrendered in Iraq and has announced his intention to do so in Afghanistan. HE has demonstrated to Iran that if THEY push him too far, he'll apologize. Why would Iran negotiate anything with a "leader" who has already proven time and again that he's weak? It'll be a great day for America when that coward leaves office.

[RobertBeyers]

Your right. I mean God forbid that Obama should manage to bring a resemblance of peace to the ME.
We are just going to have to get rid of Obama and get a good strong neo-con into office so we can get another 10 year war going, because we didn't cause enough carnage and destruction over the past 10 years. Perhaps you would like to lead the charge.