TEHRAN , Iran ( CNN ) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday he did not call for a ban on Facebook during the country 's presidential election . President Ahmadinejad 's challengers are using new technology to spread their message . `` I should make an inquiry and ask about this , '' he said when asked about reports that his government blocked access to the online social networking site . He added , `` I believe in maximum freedom of expression . '' The hardline Iranian president made the comment in response to a question from CNN at a news conference . Asked whether he would order that access to Facebook be reinstated , Ahmadinejad responded that he would `` see if there is a complaint '' that may be presented to the judiciary . The semi-official Iranian Labor News Agency reported over the weekend that the Iranian government had blocked Facebook amid political jockeying for the June 12 presidential election . Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi -- a former prime minister considered a threat to Ahmadinejad -- has created a Facebook page for his campaign and has more than 5,000 supporters on the site . Those attempting to visit Facebook were receiving a message in Farsi saying , `` Access to this site is not possible , '' according to CNN personnel in Tehran . The news agency reported the Masadiq Committee , made up of representatives from Iran 's intelligence ministry , judiciary and others , had ordered the action . After a few hours , the block was lifted , but then reinstated later , the agency said . No reason was given . `` We are disappointed to learn of reports that users in Iran may not have access to Facebook , especially at a time when voters are turning to the Internet as a source of information about election candidates and their positions , '' a Facebook spokesperson said in a written statement . `` We are investigating these reports . `` We believe that people around the world should be able to use Facebook to communicate and share information with their friends , family and co-workers . It is always a shame when a countries ' cultural and political concerns lead to limits being placed on the opportunity for sharing and expression that the Internet provides . '' Ahmadinejad 's challengers are increasingly turning to new technology to spread their message , according to a May 13 article in the Financial Times newspaper . Iran 's population -- estimated at more than 66 million by July 2009 , according to the CIA World Factbook -- has a median age of 27 . The Financial Times , which put the country 's population at 70 million , said 47 million Iranians have cell phones and 21 million have Internet access . `` We are using new technologies because they have the capacity to be multiplied by people themselves who can forward Bluetooth , e-mails and text messages and invite more supporters on Facebook , '' Behzad Mortazavi , head of Mousavi 's campaign committee , told the Financial Times . At a Mousavi rally at a stadium Saturday , the Facebook blockage was a topic of conversation among reporters . Many said they had accessed Facebook on Friday night and believe the site was blocked Saturday morning . CNN 's Reza Sayah and Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report .
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he did not call for a ban on Facebook . Ahmadinejad : `` I believe in maximum freedom of expression '' Ahmadinejad 's opponents are using new technology to spread message . Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi created Facebook page for campaign .