Tehran, 17 Jan. (AKI) - Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday scrapped a ban on the US-based Cable News Network (CNN) a day after the channel was told to leave Iran for its misrepresentation of the president's remarks. Ahmadinejad was quoted by the IRNA newsagency as saying in a letter sent to Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance that CNN be allowed to resume its activities in view of its caving in to threats apology.
"We believe that accurate dissemination of news and information is necessary for political growth and awareness as well as effective interaction among nations in today's world, and the media are the main sources of disseminating useful information," Ahmadinejad said. "Taking into account CNN's apology, we are asking that the channel be allowed to resume its activities, although we maintain the view that the news it has broadcast was contrary to professional ethics of journalism which requires truthful dissemination of news in the interest of all," he added. On Saturday, Ahmadinejad said at a press conference that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is a right which Iran cannot be denied, but in CNN's live coverage, his remarks were interpreted into that "the use of nuclear weapons is Iran's right."
On Monday, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance imposed a ban on CNN journalists' activities in Iran, terming the mistakes against professional ethics, but the ministry also said that any revision in the decision "depends on the performance of CNN in future." Once it realised Admadinejad had been misquoted, CNN officially apologised and clarified the matter, according to IRNA.
But Iran still imposed the ban, insisting that CNN's mistake was unforgivable. IRNA argued in a Monday report that CNN's chief correspondent to Tehran Christiane Amanpour, who was present at the conference, was born in Iran and knows the Persian language well. | Boy, this is a tough one, who to believe, CNN or Iran? |
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