Twitter has brought the eyes and ears of the International community upon the recent protests over the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. The ability to resonate an idea, meeting place or message around the world is what makes Twitter a simple and effective tool for protesters.

Twitter has recognized the role that hold in the global political playing field; the San Francisco-based company said Monday that the planned maintenance shutdown would not happen due to “the role Twitter is currently playing as an important communication tool in Iran.”

NBC reported that a senior level official at the State Department announced that they had asked Twitter not to down the site for scheduled maintenance repairs because web sites and cell phones were being shut down in Iran and journalists were being kicked out, so the State Department wanted "to highlight to [Twitter] that this was an important means of communication -- not with us -- but horizontally in Iran."

The efforts to stop the scheduled site maintenance on Twitter was also successful due to the hashtag #nomaintenance. Twitter has become the most reliable social media platform used for coordination and communication amongst the Iranian opposition within Iran and with the outside world. 

From cyber attacks on the state-run website to a video condolence message from Obama, an outpouring of support for Iran's protesters is unfolding online.

U.S. State Department speaks to Twitter over Iran

The Revolution Must Be Twittered

Social Networks Spread Defiance Online