Iran denies De Burgh live concert

De Burgh is best known for his hits Lady in Red and Don't Pay The Ferryman

Authorities in Iran have denied that singer Chris de Burgh is to play a live concert in Tehran, according to an Iranian news agency.

It had been reported in December that the Irish singer would perform with Iranian pop group Arian.

But IRNA reported that the Music Office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance had not received a request for the show, nor issued a permit.

A spokeswoman for De Burgh said efforts to bring him to Iran were ongoing.

Official permission is required to stage a concert in the country.

Arian's manager told Reuters news agency in December that Iranian authorities had approved a plan for De Burgh to play with the pop group.

At the time, he said the concert would be scheduled for either June or July.

If the concert went ahead, De Burgh would be the first Western artist to play a concert in Iran since the country's 1979 revolution.

De Burgh recently recorded a song, The Words I Love You, with Arian and visited Tehran in May.

A spokeswoman for De Burgh said: "We have been looking into a concert and been working on it for a while.

"Permission has not yet been granted but we have also not yet been denied."