In the latest battle between moderates and conservatives, Ataollah Mohajarani - a key ministerial ally of the president - faced impeachment for "corrupting Islamic values".

The motion, brought by hard-line conservatives, was dismissed in secret ballot on Saturday. Deputies voted 135-121 against the resolution, according to the official Irna news agency. Seven deputies abstained.

President Khatami praised the culture minister

President Khatami is said to have welcomed the Majlis' decision.

On Sunday Iranian television quoted him as saying:

"I thank the honourable Majlis deputies who judged fairly and endorsed the continuation of Mr Ataollah Mohajarani's term of office and the performance of his heavy responsibility in the arena of culture, arts and information dissemination."

He then thanked Mr Mohajarani for describing the government's cultural policies "with decorum, broadmindedness and strong logic".

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Mr Mohajarani, who has played a central part in President Khatami's reform programme, had hit back with a strong defence of artistic, political and intellectual pluralism.

He warned his critics in the debate not to mistake an exchange of views and opinions for anti-Islamic or anti-revolutionary activity.

Mr Mohajarani has spearheaded Khatami's reforms

"Tolerance does not mean a weakening of the values," he told the chamber. "A thought has to be responded to with another thought. Freedom is as fragile as...a crystal glass."

Mr Mohajarani is the latest close associate of President Khatami to find himself facing a ferocious counter-attack by hard-line opponents of the president's reform programme.

The English-language daily newspaper Iran News, said in an editorial the biggest loser was the right-wing press, which had put all its efforts into discrediting the minister.