AFP: Iran shut down again on Tuesday a reformist daily that backs incumbent presidential challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi after allowing it to resume publishing, the paper's lawyer told the ISNA news agency.
TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran shut down again on Tuesday a reformist daily that backs incumbent presidential challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi after allowing it to resume publishing, the paper's lawyer told the ISNA news agency.
"Despite the implementation of a decree issued on April 11 by … Tehran's penal court that authorised the publication of Yas No, it was banned today by Tehran's prosecutor," Saleh Nikbakht was quoted as saying, claiming the act was "illegal."
The reformist paper was relaunched on Saturday after the authorities halted publication following a single edition on May 17 which came after a six-year ban.
The paper was a clear supporter of former premier Mousavi, widely seen as the chief rival to incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Friday's election.
On Tuesday evening, speaking on television, Mousavi expressed "regret at the ban of Yas No ahead of the election."
Yas No (New Jasmine) was banned in May at the request of Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, who made a complaint six years ago that led to the initial ban.
That ban came the paper published a letter from reformist MPs questioning supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's role in the mass disqualification of candidates in the 2004 parliamentary poll.
The newspaper is seen as close to former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, who supports Mousavi.
