TEHRAN -- Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has blocked publication of a book on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaii.

“The final draft of the book, which is a study of the ‘deviant current’, was sent to the Culture Ministry, but it refused to grant a publication license to the work,” author Mohammadreza Qomsheh told the Persian service of the Fars News Agency on Saturday.

“The Culture Ministry has asked for changes that would ruin the contents of the book if I agree to make them,” he added.

“Therefore, I decided to shelve the plan to publish the book,” he lamented. 

Qomsheh declined to say the title of the book.

Rahim-Mashaii is considered the leader of the “deviant current”, a term the conservatives use for Rahim-Mashaii and his entourage.

The “deviant current” is allegedly trying to undermine the role of Iran’s influential clerics.

MMS/YAW

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