TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran barred CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour Wednesday, saying it was in retaliation for U.S. treatment of Iranians who wanted to visit the United States. <br>
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Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said it was ``normal'' to bar Amanpour -- though her network is American, she is Iranian-British. <br>
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Kharrazi told reporters, ``Some Iranian journalists and artists, including film director Abbas Kiarostami, were either denied U.S. visas or left waiting for months for a decision. We, of course, take this into account.'' <br>
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Amanpour had been expected to accompany British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw during his visit to Tehran but had to get off the plane in Kuwait. Straw is on a swing through the region. <br>
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In a statement released by CNN in Atlanta, Amanpour said she was disappointed in the Iranian government's decision. <br>
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CNN spokeswoman Megan Mahoney added, ``We believe the Iranian goverment's decision to ban Ms. Amanpour is inexplicable and unjustified.'' <br>
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Iran has imposed restrictions on journalists representing American media visiting Iran in response to restrictions imposed on Iranians seeking visas to the United States.
