News

Iran has postponed a visit to Tehran by Euro MPs who were going to meet Iranian opposition activists and Majlis (parliament) members this week.

The MEPs' visit had been planned for 7-11 January. Tehran said a new date would be set "by mutual agreement".

The EU delegation head, a German Green politician, accused Tehran of trying to avoid a focus on political unrest, following a spate of clashes in Iran.

Barbara Lochbihler MEP said Tehran saw the visit as "a risk not worth taking".

The cancellation was "another sad illustration of how much the Iranian leadership opposes any discussion of the major unresolved problems in the country," she said.

Meetings with Iranian foreign ministry officials and business representatives had also been planned.