5/27/2011 Article - Untitled Article
Publication: Guardian 1821-2000; Date: Sep 5, 1979; Section: None; Page: 6
AyatolJah
expels
‘Is news
agencj
Front Li! Thurgood
In Tebran
la'ap expelled a foreign news
bisseet yesterday , Associated
Press was closed 4own yester-
day morning and its four oar-
reapondeols ordered La leave
the country within 43 hours,
The American bureau was
accused of “biased and dis-
torted reporting which pro-
yoked world opinino.' One Al'
ste tson, Philip Dtpoulns, taut
the Ministry ot National Guid-
ance complained “in general
about the tone” of AP report.
ing and “was particularly
upset by the agency's recent
coverage of Iho trouh les In
Kurdlatan .”
,,..t group expulsion
brings to 13 tha number of fur'
eign coreespondeots ordered to
leave iran since the Ayatollah
Khom cams to pswer last
February . Mr Ali Iteheadnie,
who over-aeon the foreign press
in Iran, wan quoted by the Guy'
reloe nown agency us eayiog
the bureau would remain
rinsed until the introduction
sod acceptance uf new corres-
pondents ,
Preosore on the fersign
press began in late June, vvitla
the expulsion of the Los
Angeles Times Correspondent.
ft has gathered momentum In
recent weeks. Mr Sadegh Tabs.
tabaf oaf d on television ass Ens-
day evening that lbs Itto
major nows agencies Its Tehran
wero dominated by Zienints—
an expreanisn which rates
among the b lgbsat in the 0ev-
ernntsnt't bunk of maclb.
In resnsrtcn printtd yester-
day, Dr Nasser Minnchi. c bs
Missietur for Nati505t Quid'
sore, accused the dwindling
fsrsign press corps of portray-
ing Iran as a dictatorship, Ha
elan reused unnamed foreign
puhlicntisns of refsatng to
print official retractions,
The foreign press, hnsscnnely
populer during the mnnth.s
that led to tho Shah't eves'
throw, fell front atliciat grace
In also cttsoa after the t”rh-
mary upristng. Rules govern-
ing the cerrespeadtntt were
drawn up last mssth, making
them renpnnsihts for alt espy
about Iran appearing in their
pebltro4 o -
Isv thsary, cerreapuadents
entering Iran ure raw expected
to tahoe uath pledging to
“noaintats honesty.” Au inter-
views with Gcverlnmant offi-
cials should ha hold in the
presence of a translator, either
named or elfsciutly vatted, by
the Minietry.
Although neithar rule sa
strictly enforced, such roatric-
tioss have greatly sEe ded bIas
‘15 5w a! eewa. ‘ 5 Nat everyans's
stopped talkine yet,” mid a
Gayerement official vvho pro'
ferred tu remain anaeyniauu,
hut they anon will.” Meet ago
with the regime's politicul
opponents have berosnc lrrgelr
riasdeatine sffoirv. -
Among thesc news vaganaav-
tisas v'ith cerrcspnndento re-
cently erprtted from Iron Ira'
the DNC and the Senriet
Tunes. Earlier usia weak, the
Daily Telegraph's stringer, who
bed yct ta neck olitriat srrradi.
tsttes, was given ten deya to
leave Iran.
archive.guardian.co.uk/. /getFiles.asp?... 1/2
5/27/2011 Article - Untitled Article
Meanwhile, á ranian miii.
tory was yesterday reported to
be cleaning up the last pockets
of opposition in the rebel Kur-
dish stronghold of Mahabati
which was captured by the
Government after a massive air. CA .J
and armed offensive on Mon. an ivie ul a LI m I
day. Reports frose the Drovince
irs western Iran were contra.
dieting. and it was stilL far
from clear whether or not the
Government had taken com•
plete conirol of the Kurdish
town of Baaeh, close to the
Iraqi border,
A Government radio reporter
in a di patels frem Banch yes.
terday said that no clashes
oceured when troops entered
the small town on Monday
night, but there has been no
independent confirmation.
Meanwhile, helicopters were
yesterday reported to be distri-
buting leaflets aver Kurdish
towns and villages in what was
seen as the start of an Inten-
sive propaganda campaign to
win over the Kurds. The state-
ment Issued by the Army,
called on the Kurds to “aepa.
rate yourselves front the cons
piraters and The lackeys os
foreigners.
archive.guardian.co.uk/.../getFiles.asp?... 2/2
