Khatami criticises oil corruption charges

The Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, has denounced bribery charges levelled against the oil ministry by a leading conservative cleric.

The allegations from the Secretary of the Guardian Council involve bribery and dubious contracts with foreign oil companies.

President Khatami criticised those who, he said, claim that an offence has been committed but do not pass on their information to the concerned bodies - they provoke public opinion instead.

He described the charges as part of an unjust campaign.

President Khatami made his remarks in a letter to the Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh quoted by the national news agency. His comments come two days after the oil minister condemned the corruption charges as serious defamatory statements which justified court action.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service