Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (Archive photo)
Arabiya TV says Iran expelling bureau chief
Network accused of 'bias' following report on plans for 'insulting' Egyptian film on Ayatollah Khomeini
Iran is expelling the bureau chief of Al Arabiya television in Tehran after accusing the Saudi-owned satellite network of bias, the station said on Tuesday.
An official at Iran's Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry said Hassan Fahs had not been told to leave but no decision had been taken about renewing his visa. The official referred to "some problem" with Al Arabiya without elaborating.
Al Arabiya broadcast a report last month about plans for an Egyptian film called "Imam of Blood" that would criticize Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. The film idea had sparked protests in the past in Iran.
Students of 10 universities in Iran called for the closure of Al Arabiya's offices in Iran over what they said was an "insulting" film about Khomeini and the Islamic Shiite faith, state radio reported on Tuesday, according to BBC monitoring.
Al Arabiya said in a television report that Fahs was ordered to leave for biased reporting. In a later statement, it protested Fahs' expulsion, said its news was balanced and that it gave Iranian officials the chance to respond to main reports on Iran.
Al Arabiya said a film called "Road to Revolution" had also been controversial and led to calls for its office to be closed.
Sadat assassination
Fahs told Reuters he was informed he could stay till his residence visa expired in October but, if he left before, would receive a "definitive exit" permit and would not get approval to return.
"Definitive exit means expulsion," he said.
"The Iranians consider that Al Arabiya news is against Iran," said Fahs, adding that he planned to leave next week.
He said he had been told the Iranian authorities would consider letting him work for another company, if he made a request.
Al Arabiya said the Egyptian film about Khomeini was being made in retaliation for an Iranian film, "Assassination of a Pharaoh", which portrayed Sadat's assassination as the killing of a traitor by a martyr.
Al Arabiya said Mohamed Hassan al-Alfi, a member of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party, was writing a script for the movie which would argue that Khomeini's ideology was behind the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
Demonstrators previously protested outside Egypt's mission in Iran. Egypt only has an interests section in Iran and says Iran must first change the name of a street called after Sadat's assassin and meet other demands before full ties resume.
In August, AFP said the Iranian authorities had told a British journalist working for the French news agency to leave.
Another British journalist was forced to leave Iran when his residence permit was not renewed, his newspaper said at the start of the year. Iranian officials said he was not expelled.
