Iran has suspended operations of Arab TV broadcaster Al-Jazeera throughout the country after accusing it of inflaming violent protests by the Arab minority in the south west.
The government said two more protesters died in the unrest, bringing the three-day toll to three dead and at least eight injured in Khuzistan province on Iran 's border with Iraq.
Al-Jazeera, which is popular among Iran 's Arab-speaking minority, is believed to have been the first to broadcast news of the unrest. The station's commentators discussed the clashes on talk shows as well.
Tehran yesterday ordered the station to cease operations until the network explained the motives behind its coverage.
"If it is proved that Al-Jazeera committed a crime, it will be prosecuted," an official at Iran 's Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry said.
"We suspended its activity in Iran to investigate the network's role in unrest in Ahvaz. We expect the network to respect Iran 's national integrity and security."
Jihad Ballout, an Al-Jazeera spokesman in Doha, Qatar, said he had heard media reports of the ban but the station had not yet received official notification.
The station, owned by the Qatari government since its start in 1996, is believed to have the Arab world's biggest market share, estimated at 35 million people.