TEHRAN: Iran's judicial authorities have banned a newspaper for publishing a front-page headline allegedly indicating support for French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

Mohammad Ghoochani, chief editor of the daily Mardom-e-Emrooz, or Today's People, is quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency as saying his paper has been ordered closed for publishing a front-page story on the French magazine controversy.

The article's headline on Tuesday quoted filmmaker and activist George Clooney as saying “I am Charlie Hebdo”.

Iran has condemned both the magazine's publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and the deadly assault on the magazine's Paris office by extremists who killed 12 people.