Bitter enemies, virtual friends

Three decades after it closed its embassy in Iran and cut diplomatic relations with it, the US has launched what it is billing as a “virtual Iranian embassy”.

A message by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in English and in Persian, welcomes users to the site. Clinton says she hopes it will provide an opportunity for citizens of the two countries “to communicate openly and without fear.” An accompanying text from the State Department explains: “This website is not a formal diplomatic mission, nor does it represent or describe a real US embassy accredited to the Iranian government. But in absence of direct contact, it can work as a bridge between the American and Iranian people.”