CNN allowed to resume work in Iran

TEHRAN - Iran today lifted its ban on CNN after the US news network apologized for misquoting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying Tehran wanted nuclear weapons.

Iran banned CNN journalists from working in the country after its simultaneous translation of Ahmadinejad's news conference on Saturday included the phrase "the use of nuclear weapons is Iran's right."

In fact, what the Iranian president said was that "Iran has the right to nuclear energy." CNN later apologized for making a mistake.

"Following a request from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the ban on the activities of CNN's stringer in Iran was lifted," Mohammad Hossein Khoshvaght, director of foreign media at Iran's culture ministry, told Reuters.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, saying it wants atomic technology for generating electricity.

"I want the channel to be allowed to resume its work owing to the apology it made," Ahmadinejad said in a letter sent to the culture ministry, a copy of which was faxed to Reuters.

CNN does not have a permanent bureau in Iran but a local journalist contributes to the network and visiting correspondents are occasionally given permission to enter the country on short assignments.

The ban came as CNN's Iranian-born chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour was in Iran to report on the nuclear issue.

- REUTERS