News

Iranian officials have denied that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was targeted in an assassination attempt.

A conservative Iranian website had said an explosive device was thrown at his convoy in the western city of Hamedan, where he was to deliver a speech.

But state-run Press TV said "no such attack had happened", and officials said the confusion was caused by an exploding firework.

Mr Ahmadinejad went ahead with his speech at a football stadium.

"It was a firecracker, and a statement will be released soon," an official in the president's media office told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

Iranian Al-Alam TV reported that the firecracker was set off to cheer the president.