TEHRAN -- BBC Persian has no permit to work in Iran, says Hessameddin Ashena, a cultural advisor to the president.

He rejected reports that BBC has been allowed to open a bureau in Tehran, saying that only limited permission has been given to BBC World to make a report, the Khabaronline news website reported Saturday.

Ashena pointed out that visas were recently given to reporters from BBC World to make a report from the post-sanctions Iran.

The BBC bureau in Tehran was shut down following the protests that followed the 2009 presidential election.

The Islamic Republic accused BBC of stirring unrest in the restive post-election days.

BBC has had no representative in Iran since.

SP/P