Iran simplifies procedures governing the activities of foreign media

Almaty. December 11. Silkroadnews - Iranian authorities undertook to simplify the procedures governing the activities of foreign reporters and news agencies in the country, informs the Iranian News Agency (IrTAG) on Thursday.
As the director of the Department of foreign media Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran Mohammad Mansour Kushesh, recently licenses to provide a full range of services for foreign media were issued to four local institutions, which should contribute to a significant simplification of the procedures for entry and exit, residence and movement within the country by foreign journalists. At the same time, he noted that in the near future ministry plans to reduce the period of consideration of applications for permits to enter the Republic of foreign journalists to 10 days, without specifying the period that such a procedure previously occupied.
According to him, currently in Iran on a permanent basis functioning representatives of 137 foreign media, news agencies and the number wishing to start their bureaus in the Islamic Republic, is growing steadily. In this regard, according to the source, in order to facilitate the creation of bureaus of foreign media in Iran, the consideration of their applications will be reduced to one month.
However, the head of the department said that his department aims to create favorable conditions for foreign reporters and news agencies which are carrying out their professional activities in the country on the basis of appropriate accreditation issued by the Iranian authorities.
M. Kushesh called private media organizations to cooperate more closely with the government in terms of facilitating an objective and unbiased coverage of events taking place in the political, socio-economic and cultural life of Iran.