Iranian deputies approve foreign investment bill

Parliament in Iran has approved a bill aimed at attracting much-needed foreign investment to help revive the Iranian economy.

One of the main aims of the bill is to assure foreign companies that their investments will be safe and their assets won't be seized as happened after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Conservative deputies argued against the bill saying it didn't serve the national interest and could leave Iran vulnerable to crises on the international markets.

The BBC Tehran correspondent says foreign investment is a highly-sensitive issue in Iran whose crucial oil industry was dominated for decades by foreign powers.

But our correspondent says all politicians agree that the Iranian economy is in seriously bad shape and will get worse unless action is taken.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service