The Iranian parliament made a bid Tuesday to block further press closures by passing a motion to wipe out a legal loophole used by the conservative courts to shutter a number of papers.
The reform-majority chamber overwhelmingly passed a motion allowing newspaper directors to change from weekly to daily publication without being subjected to a new police investigation.
Newspapers which had changed their status without authorization were among more than 20 publications suspended since April when the conservative courts launched a sweeping crackdown on the mostly pro-reform press.
Iran's culture ministry, which is charged with issuing press licenses but can also issue temporary bans, has also insisted that new permission from the police is unnecessary.
But the judiciary has insisted that a new investigation into press chiefs is required each time a publication changes its frequency of appearance -- TEHRAN (AFP)
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