This isn’t the first time that Iran has blocked Facebook. In 2006 the site was banned for being “illegal” but in February of this year the site was unblocked again. Facebook had become the 10th most popular site in Iran according to Radio Free Europe. Political activists in Iran have become heavily active on the site, which is exactly the concern of the current regime. Less than six months later the site is back down and while many users expect the site to return after the election, many Iranians are more than a bit frustrated.
As one commenter posted on my profile wall this morning, using proper internet linguistics, “nick 
While Facebook’s latest of service technically blocks Iran from using the site, the company has publicly stated that they have no intention of blocking Iranian users. As a Facebook spokesman stated, “We have allowed, and plan to continue to allow, users to set up accounts from those countries and communicate, as long as they are not engaging in commercial activities on the sites.”
Unfortunately for the Iranians, they have a regime in place that doesn’t support freedom of speech and would prefer to run a dictatorship. Hopefully the citizens eventually get access to Facebook granted to them.
ILNA reported the Masadiq Committee, made up of representatives from Iran's intelligence ministry, judiciary and others had ordered the action. After a few hours, the blockage was lifted, but was then reinstated, ILNA said. No reason was given for the block.
"We are disappointed to learn of reports that users in Iran may not have access to Facebook, especially at a time when voters are turning to the Internet as a source of information about election candidates and their positions," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.
"We believe that people around the world should be able to use Facebook to communicate and share information with their friends, family and co-workers. It is always a shame when a country's cultural and political concerns lead to limits being placed on the opportunity for sharing and expression that the Internet provides."
Ahmadinejad's challengers are increasingly turning to new technology to spread their message, according to a May 13 article in the Financial Times newspaper.
Iran's population -- estimated at more than 66 million by July 2009, according to the CIA World Factbook -- has a median age of 27. The Financial Times, which put the country's population at 70 million, said 47 million Iranians have cell phones and 21 million have Internet access.
"We are using new technologies because they have the capacity to be multiplied by people themselves who can forward Bluetooth, e-mails and text messages and invite more supporters on Facebook," Behzad Mortazavi, head of Mousavi's campaign committee, told the Financial Times.
At a Mousavi rally at a stadium Saturday, the Facebook blockage was a topic of conversation among reporters. Many said they had accessed Facebook on Friday night and believe the site was blocked Saturday morning
