News from Iran

New blog from Channel 4 News

More4 News, the sister programme to Channel 4 News, has launched a weblog at more4news.typepad.com.

It will have updates on all More4's original journalism from around the world, like the inside story on the Danish cartoons row, and a report on the UK branch of the Islamist organisation, Hizb ut-Tahrir.

We'll also have updates from our correspondents on the road, like Andrew Thomas's hunt for fake veterans in the US.

We hope you'll be able to join us there. In the meantime, will continue posting Channel 4 News's take on Iran on this blog.

Cleaning up Iran's text messages

The Government has been cracking down on text messaging, reports Shahram Rafiizadeh, who blogs under the name Rooz.

"Text messaging with political content, especially making fun of government officials has been rising in number and volume," says the Rooz blog. It's stll a new service in Iran - But it's already surpassed the popularity of the Internet.

It's not popular with everyone, though. President Admadinejad is keen to clean up what he sees as unacceptable use of text messaging, perhaps because some of those messages involve jokes about his personal hygiene.

Four arrests were made in connection with prohibited text messages, Rooz reports, the second time people in Iran have been arrested for unacceptable use of SMS.

Read the full report here. (Via A Daily Breifing on Iran)