The United States maintains diplomatic missions all over the world in order to communicate with other governments, facilitate trade and commerce, and support mutual understanding and respect. Because the United States and Iran do not have diplomatic relations, we have missed some important opportunities for dialogue with you, the citizens of Iran. But today, we can use new technologies to bridge that gap and promote greater understanding between our two countries, and the peoples of each country, which is why we established this virtual embassy.

This is a platform for us to communicate with each other—openly and without fear—about the United States, about our policies, our culture, and the American people. You can also find information here about opportunities to study in the United States or to obtain a visa to come visit us.

The U.S. Department of State is launching a Virtual Embassy Tehran website to penetrate the electronic curtain of isolation the Iranian leadership has imposed on its people. This initiative does not represent a change in the U.S. diplomatic relationship with the Iranian regime, but is part of the State Department’s broader efforts to reach out to the Iranian people.

Visitors to Virtual Embassy Tehran will be greeted by a welcome message from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, encouraging them to use the website as a vehicle for promoting engagement and dialogue through our linked YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and blogsites.