Iran Lifts Ban on Reformist Daily

Iran has overturned a ban on reformist newspaper Ebtekar, after it was shut down for "spreading lies," media reports said on Tuesday.

The daily was banned on Saturday over a Thursday headline to an article about the replacement of Iran's prisons chief following reports of violence against jailed political activists.

"I learned through the fax that the ban on Ebtekar has been lifted and tomorrow we will resume publication," Mohammad Ali Vakili, managing director of the daily, told the ILNA news agency.

The newspaper's headline had said that the prisons chief was sacked, but judiciary officials say he was promoted.

Culture Minister Ali Jannati said his office had been in talks with "relevant officials in the judiciary" and expressed hope that they would adopt a "more moderate" approach towards the media, the Mehr news agency reported.

President Hassan Rouhani, a reputed moderate who was elected last June, has pledged to work for more cultural and social freedom.

The judiciary which is controlled by conservatives, has already imposed a ban on two reformist newspapers since Rouhani took office.

An ultra-conservative daily was temporarily shut down by a press watchdog linked to the culture ministry in March for criticizing Rouhani. That ban was lifted this week. 

In March, Rouhani said "shutting down a newspaper should be the last resort, not the first."