Iran bans Da Vinci Code after Christians complain

TEHRAN, July 26 (Reuters) Iran has banned the best-selling novel ''The Da Vinci Code'' after protests from the country's Christian clergy, the culture ministry said today, but the Persian translation is already in its eighth edition.

Iranian publishing thresholds have relaxed considerably in recent years and Tehran booksellers have noted an increased appetite for new age and spiritual titles.

''Based on the request of three Christian clerics, yesterday we decided to ban its republication,'' said an official at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance who declined to be named.

Most of Iran's Christians belong to the Armenian church and number some 100,000. Although a small minority in a country of 69 million Muslims, the Armenians have two seats reserved for them in the 290-seat parliament.

The tiny Assyrian Christian community also has its own parliamentarian.

Many Christians have condemned Dan Brown's page-turner,saying the plot is offensive for arguing Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and that their descendants are alive today.

The Da Vinci Code has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and has been turned into a Hollywood film starring Tom Hanks.

Although the film has not had a box office release in Iran, the pirated DVD is widely available.

Copies of the book were still on sale in Iran and will not be taken off bookshelves, but a ninth edition will not be printed, the official said.

REUTERS DKB RS1351