TEHRAN Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in a letter here Saturday authorized the Expediency Council (EC) to amend its by-law that banned probe into the performance of the organs under the supervision of the Leader's Office.

EC Chairman and former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani had sent a letter to the Leader last Saturday saying that the council was not entitled to amend the law on probe into state entities.

"The (top constitutional supervisory body) Guardian Council has blocked the council from making any amendment to the law," read the letter.

Ayatollah Khamenei had earlier said it was up to the Expediency Council, which arbitrates disputes between the Majlis and the Guardian Council, to give the green light for amendments to the law which sparked angry outbursts among MPs when the chamber decided to investigate the performance of the state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

"If his excellency deem it necessary for the law to be amended, we request you to give the go-ahead to the council to do so," said Rafsanjani's letter.

Earlier this month, Ayatollah Khamenei gave the go-ahead to the Parliament to take to account the performance of the state media, saying the probe could ensure the safe operations of the networks.

"I will give the permit to the Expediency Council to revise the law which entrusts the right (to probe) with the Leader," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a letter to Parliament Speaker Mahdi Karrubi.

Parliament members, who are overwhelmingly reformist, are seeking to call to account the television and radio networks and exercise control over its budget.

In February, the Guardian Council rejected the Parliament's bid for a cut in the budget allocated to the state media which some of the deputies have accused of biased operations.

(IRNA)