The trial has opened in Tehran of another newspaper editor, Jaleh Oskui -- the first woman editor to go on trial in the continuing battle in Iran between the pro-reform press and the conservative-dominated judiciary.

Ms Oskui, who edited the banned Penj-Shanbeh-ha weekly, rejected accusations which include the publication of provocative headlines and anti-Islamic articles.

On Sunday, hearings ended in the trial of another pro-reform newspaper editor, Mashallah Shamsolvaezin who's been given five days to provide a written defence. This year, judges in Iran have closed down four leading reform papers and arrested or jailed a number of journalists.