WASHINGTON - The United States on Tuesday opened a virtual embassy for the Iranians to promote what it calls people-to-people contacts.

"I am delighted to announce the online opening of the Virtual US Embassy Tehran as a new and exciting engagement opportunity between the peoples of Iran and the United States," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

"Because the United States and Iran do not have diplomatic relations, we have been deprived of opportunities for dialogue with the citizens of Iran," she said. "But, using new technologies like this website and our linked social networking sites, we hope to bridge that gap and promote greater understanding."

In her welcome video posted on the site, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called it "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."

Nuland said the virtual embassy is just the first of many ways in which the US will seek to challenge the Iranian government's efforts to "place an electronic curtain of surveillance, satellite jamming and online filtering around its people."

White House spokesman Jay Carney reiterated on Tuesday that the US is "aggressively" pursuing a strategy that has effectively isolated and pressured Iran through sanctions and other measures, including diplomatic pressure, to give up its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons.

He also stressed that "We take nothing off the table."

Iran insists that its nuclear program is for electricity generation and medical purpose.