Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Iran Lifts Ban It Imposed on CNN | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page

TEHRAN, Iran, AP – Iran on Tuesday lifted a ban it had imposed on CNN a day earlier for misquoting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Ahmadinejad ordered the reversal “due to the expression of an apology” from CNN, state-run television reported.

Iran announced Monday that it was barring CNN from working in the country, citing mistakes in its translation of a speech by Ahmadinejad defending Iran’s right to conduct nuclear research.

CNN acknowledged the error in its U.S. broadcast and said it had apologized.

“CNN quoted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying that Iran has the right to build nuclear weapons,” the network said in its report of the ban. “In fact, he said that Iran has the right to nuclear energy.”

Hard-liners have accused CNN of trying to misrepresent Iran’s position at a crucial moment in international negotiations.

The ban came amid meetings by international diplomats over how to react to Iran’s removal last week of U.N. seals from its main uranium enrichment facility and resumption of research on nuclear fuel. Western nations suspect Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons; Iran insists its program is for peaceful energy purposes.