The Iranian government decided on Monday to “temporarily” shut down Al-Jazeera’s office in the country, following its coverage of the Khuzestan weekend riots, reports the Emirates daily Al-Khalij.
According to a senior source in the Iranian Culture and Guidance Ministry, the coverage given to the riots in the southwest region by Qatari-based TV network Al-Jazeera further inflamed the situation.
Three people were killed during the events in Khuzestan, and at least 200 were arrested by the Iranian police. A copy of an internal letter allegedly written by a senior member in the Iranian government caused the Arab citizens of Khuzestan to go onto the streets and confront the police. The letter called for the transfer of many of the Arab citizens of the oil-rich province, and replacing them with Iranians of Persian origin.
“The letter which was circulated in Khuzestan and which caused the confrontations between the Arab tribes and the police, is false,” said Chairman of the Iranian Reforms Front Muhammad Reza Khatami, the president’s brother. “It was aimed at damaging President Khatami’s reputation and that of the reform party,” he added. He explained that in his opinion, “the conservatives were the ones who wrote the letter and distributed it among the people.” They did so after “they became aware of the fact that the popularity of reformist presidential candidate, Dr. Mu’stafa Mu’in, is high in this region.”
Following the closing of their office in Iran, Al-Jazeera announced they will continue their “coverage of the Iranian issue in a comprehensive, objective, and balanced way.”