Google – AFP, 28 Sep 2013
 |
US
President Barack Obama speaks to members of the press in the briefing
room of
the White House September 27, 2013 in Washington, DC about a phone
conversation
he had with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (AFP, Brendan
Smialowski)
|
Washington
— The surprise first phone contact Friday between presidents Barack Obama and
Hassan Rouhani was not only a dramatic moment in US-Iranian ties, but also in
the field of digital diplomacy.
Moments
before the US leader announced from the White House podium that he had had a
chat with his opposite number, the Iranian president had sent a tweet that may
well live on in history.
"In a
phone conversation b/w #Iranian & #US Presidents just now: @HassanRouhani:
'Have a Nice Day!' @BarackObama: 'Thank you. Khodahafez,'" it read.
Khodahafez
is a Farsi phrase used on parting, like "farewell" or "goodbye,"
but literally translated as "God be your protector."
 |
Iranian
President Hassan Rouhani at the
United Nations in New York, September 26,
2013.
(AFP/File, Emmanuel Dunand)
|
There has
been some controversy about the account in Iran. It has not been officially
confirmed as his and social networking sites are banned to ordinary citizens.
But
throughout his visit this week to the UN General Assembly in New York,
Rouhani's office has used the stream to keep followers up to date with his
speeches and media appearances.
Any
lingering doubts that the account is indeed run by his office evaporated when
it confirmed the phone call before the White House did.
And on
Friday, even as Obama spoke in the more traditional venue of the White House
briefing room, Rouhani outlined his side of the exchange online.
"President
#Rouhani and President @BarackObama expressed their mutual political #will to
rapidly solve the #nuclear issue," he said, in a stream of messages sent
as his car headed to the airport to leave the US.
"Obama,
@HassanRouhani appoint Foreign Ministers to follow up cooperation ASAP.
"@BarackObama
to @HassanRouhani: I express my respect for you and ppl of #Iran. I'm convinced
that relations between Iran and US..1/3
"@HassanRouhani
to @BarackObama: We're hopeful about what we will see from P5+1 and your govt
in particular in coming weeks and months..2/3
"@HassanRouhani
to @BarackObama: I express my gratitude for your #hospitality and your phone
call. Have a good day Mr President. 3/3
"@BarackObama
to @HassanRouhani: Thank you, Khodahafez."
Later, for
reasons that were not immediately clear, many of the tweets were deleted --
although not before they had been recorded as screenshots or retweeted by
thousands of Web users.
The
messages that remained, which White House officials confirmed appeared to be
both genuine and to reflect a shared understanding of the tone of the call,
recounted a cordial exchange.
And the
Iranian presidency, in what was certainly an unprecedented gesture, even
retweeted on their own account a message from US Secretary of State John Kerry.
"Good
first steps w/ #Iran this wk. Positive meeting w/ @JZarif last night. Historic
POTUS and @HassanRouhani call today. #Progress -JK," said the State
Department account.
Regular
Twitter users know that a retweet is not necessarily an endorsement, but the
fact that Kerry's message survived the later purge suggests that Rouhani shared
his positive take.
The tweets
raced around the world and stunned many observers -- not all of them
disinterested figures -- who sensed that history was being made.
"I
feel like I'm witnessing a tectonic shift in the geo-political landscape
reading @HassanRouhani tweets. Fascinating," tweeted Twitter chief
executive Dick Costolo.
Costolo
doubtless had his reasons to celebrate his own platform's role in the incident
-- but there was a sign that he might have a point: Rouhani retweeted him.
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