Iran lays down deadlines for ousted US journalists

All correspondents working for US media were to stop filing at midnight Tuesday and must leave Iran by Friday, the foreign press chief, Abolghassem Sadegh, has decreed. He added that news bureau chiefs and administrative staff would be given slightly longer to wind up their operations.

The press chief told the newspaper Kayhan that units of all US radio and television networks, as well as the United Press International and Associated Press news agencies, would have to close. Also named were several other US publications.

The expulsion order covers all correspondents for US news media, whether US nationals or not.