Iran detains journalist over BBC broadcast

AP: Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency says a man has been detained after broadcasting for the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Farsi-language service about an explosion at an ammunition depot.

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency says a man has been detained after broadcasting for the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Farsi-language service about an explosion at an ammunition depot.

Fars says Hasan Fathi was detained by security agents after he broadcast a live report Saturday about the blast Revolutionary Guard depot that killed at least 17 soldiers.

BBC’s Farsi-language service is not authorized to operate in Iran, and working for the network is against the law.

In an emailed comment late Sunday, the BBC said it has no employees in Iran. “The service spoke to Mr. Hasan Fathi as an independent commentator, as it does to other independent journalists, academics and other public figures from Iran.” The network expressed concern about Iran’s “intimidating people who speak to us.”