British journalist 'expelled' from Iran

Tehran: A British journalist has been "expelled" from Iran after the government refused to renew his visa and resident permit, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

An Iranian official said that authorities did not consider it expulsion but that the government has asked The Guardian newspaper to send a new correspondent.

He did not say why the journalist Robert Tait's visa had not been renewed.

The Guardian report said Iranian authorities originally threatened to deport the 43-year-old correspondent in March because officials were unhappy with his reporting.

Tait was allowed to stay in Iran after his paper appealed against the March decision, the report said. Tait has now returned to Britain with his Iranian wife.