Iranian Oil Minister Joins Twitter, Which Is Banned in Iran

(Bloomberg) -- Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh joined Twitter, citing the need for more effective communication with Iranians and the world.

“I have come to Twitter for a more dynamic and effective relationship with domestic and foreign audience,” read his first tweet. The Oil Ministry’s public-relations office confirmed @BijanZanganeh is the minister’s Twitter handle.

Officially, Twitter is banned in Iran though it’s used by an increasing number of authorities, including President Hassan Rouhani and his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif. Many Iranian citizens also access the service through the use of VPNs and proxies to get round the restrictions.

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