The suspended mayor of Tehran, Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi, has been allowed to appeal again against his conviction for embezzlement, four days after his five-year jail sentence was reduced to two years and the punishment of being flogged was dropped.

Mr Karbaschi is a key figure among Iranian moderates, who are opposing the political dominance of conservative clerics.

His lawyer made a further appeal to the prosecutor-general saying a reduction of the sentence was unacceptable and a court should review the verdict.