The daughter of a former Iranian president, Hashemi Rafsanjani, has appeared in court in Tehran charged with publishing untruths about a senior police officer.

Faezeh Hashemi, daughter of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, is accused of printing an article in a paper she edits Zan alleging that the country's police intelligence chief, Colonel Mohammad Nagdi, physically assaulted two government ministers Abdullah Nouri and Ataollah Mohajerani -- both supporters of President Khatami.

On Sunday a prominent Iranian journalist was banned for a year after being found guilty of publishing slanderous articles about the military.

Correspondents say the liberal media in Iran is coming under increasing pressure from conservatives in the country's establishment.