"This is just another attempt to destablise our regime..."

Rumours that Chris DeBurgh has been given permission to play a gig in Tehran have been angrily, angrily denied by the Iranian authorities. The BBC reports:

It had been reported in December that the Irish singer would perform with Iranian pop group Arian.

But IRNA reported that the Music Office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance had not received a request for the show, nor issued a permit.

In Iran, official permission is required to stage a concert.

We're given to understand the Iranian spokesperson then added "and you can tell the same thing to bloody Chris Rea, too..."