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New reformist Iranian paper hits the streets

TEHRAN, Dec 3 (AFP) - The first edition of reformist newspaper Khordad, run by a close associate of President Mohammad Khatami, hit Tehran's news stands on Thursday. The paper takes its name from the date Khatami was elected in May 1997.

The 12-page colour newspaper is run by former interior minister Abdollah Nuri, who was ousted in June after a censure motion by the conservative dominated parliament amid a tense power struggle between the regime's moderate and hardline factions.

Nuri is now vice president for development and social affairs, a post that does not require parliamentary approval.

Iran's newspapers continue to flourish although the press has come under increasing pressure from the conservative-dominated judiciary after a period of relative openness following Khatami's election.

A number of papers have been closed down, most notably Tous, an outspoken and often humorous paper that briefly became one of the country's most popular publications.

Khordad aims to be "the journal for men, women and children in Iran but also those beyond our borders whose hearts continue to beat for Iran," it said in an editorial.

The paper, with a print run of around 100,000, said it wants to "promote the humanist values of Islam (while remaining) faithful to the aims of the revolution: independence, freedom and the Islamic republic."


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