Washington Times reporter 'to be released' by Iran: Via guardian.co.uk .

Reporter detained for more than a week by Iranian authorities is to be released within hours, say reports

A Washington Times reporter detained for more than a week by Iranian authorities is to be released within hours, according to a Greek politician.

Iason Athanasiadis-Fowden, a journalist with joint British and Greek nationality also known as Jason Fowden, was arrested as he was attempting to leave the country last Tuesday, 23 June.

The head of a small rightwing Greek party said today he has received assurances that the Iranian government will soon release Athanasiadis-Fowden.

Giorgos Karadzaferis, head of the Greek LAOS party, added that Iran's ambassador in Athens had told a party official on Thursday that the journalist would be freed "in the next few hours", according to AP.
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Detained Newsweek reporter comes clean: Via PressTV.ir .

In a Tuesday press conference that was held while he was still in custody, Bahari explained the nature of some of his activities in Iran over the past years and the role that Western media had played in the events, which unfolded in the country.

“Most of the work I did for BBC and Channel 4 had to do with highlighting problems in various areas… the journalist work I did revolved around daily news and issues such as the parliamentary and presidential elections,” Bahari told reports.

“Western media are an inseparable part of the capitalist machine of Western liberal democracies. A Western journalist who comes to Iran… is mainly concerned with the interests of the West, which are defined in relation to each issue at every period of time,” he said.

The Newsweek reporter said international press set the scenes for velvet revolutions in various countries, adding that the gentle overthrow of a government could not be achieved without their critical role.

Bahari specifically highlighted the role of the BBC, CNN, Euronews, The New York Times and Newsweek.
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