Jack Dorsey And Iran President Hassan Rouhani Exchange Tweets

Iran President Hassan Rouhani exchanged tweets with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey on Tuesday, offering a window for interpretation over what the less-than-144-character exchanges could signify on a global scale.

The conversation was initiated by Dorsey:

About five hours later, Rouhani responded:

Rouhani was referring to an interview he gave with CNN's Christiane Amanpour last week. As Amanpour's blog highlights, Rouhani said: "There are large social networks at a global level around today, and I believe that all human beings have a right, and all nations have a right, to use them."

Dorsey retweeted Rouhani, and added words of encouragement:

Social media network restrictions in Iran were tightened after former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election in 2009.

Last month, Iran's blocked social media sites became available for a few hours. They were later shuttered, and the incident was blamed on a "technical" glitch, though some interpreted it as government infighting.

Newly-elected Rouhani has made clear that he aims to improve international relations. Just last week, President Barack Obama announced he had spoken by phone with Rouhani, a step the two nations' leaders had not taken since 1979. How much Rouhani's rhetoric will turn into action remains to be seen.