The Tehran bureau chief of Reuters news agency, Jonathan Lyons, who left the country Friday, is barred from returning to Iran, the state IRNA news agency reported Sunday.
The culture ministry, in a statement cited by IRNA, said Iran "will refuse any request" for the return of Lyons, who left with his wife, Geneive Abdo, overnight Friday.
Ministry official, Mohammad-Reza Khoshvaght, said the decision had been made "taking into account the errors" made by Lyons, but said Iran would accept another candidate from Reuters to fill the bureau chief's job, said the agency.
Earlier, Iranian officials denied they had ordered the expulsion of Lyons, and said that he left because he was facing possible legal action, according to AFP.
An official told the agency that the couple had left because they were facing a possible lawsuit from jailed Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji, and that the ministry had asked the news agency to "assume its responsibilities." -- Albawaba.com
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