2009 Mir-Hossein Mousavi presidential campaign freedoms in Iran and criticised the ban on private television channels", but "refused to back down from the country's disputed nuclear programme, saying it is "for peaceful purposes". On May 30, Mousavi pledged that if elected he would amend "discriminatory and unjust regulations" against women, and take other measures in favour of women's rights and equality. On May 23, 2009, the Iranian government blocked access to Facebook across the country but lifted the blockage after protests from the public. "Gulfnews.com" reported that the former move had been a response to the use of Facebook by the candidates running against the
2009 Iranian presidential election towards the incumbent president. This finding almost exactly matches up with the proportion of the vote that Ahmadinejad received. On 1 June, a campaign office of Ahmadinejad's primary opponent, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, was torched. The office was located in the city of Qom. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. At the same time, it was reported that an assassination had been attempted against former president Mohammad Khatami by means of a bomb placed on an aircraft he was to board. Mobile phone communications were interrupted in Tehran on election day and the BBC has stated that "heavy electronic jamming" was