Iran frees British-Greek journalist

5 Jul 2009, 11:42 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Iran has released a British-Greek journalist working for The Washington Times who was arrested in connection with "recent street riots.

Iran has released a British-Greek journalist working for The Washington Times who was arrested in connection with "recent street riots," foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said.

Iason Athanasiadis-Fowden "who worked for an American media company and who was arrested for activities that were contradictory to journalism and in connection with the recent street riots was freed today," Ghashghavi was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency on Sunday.

Ghashghavi said that the authorities have now cancelled the journalist's press credentials for Iran.

His release was the result of "goodwill efforts" exerted by Tehran's ambassador to Athens, he added.

Athanasiadis-Fowden's arrest came during a crackdown launched by Iran in the aftermath of the disputed June 12 presidential election.

The authorities have banned the foreign media from covering events organised by opposition groups in the Islamic republic.

Iran has also detained Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari working for US magazine Newsweek, and expelled the BBC's Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne.

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