Iran bans paper over article French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo

Supporters of a Pakistani religious group 'Fidaiyan-e-Khetm-e-Nebuwwat' stand on the representations of American, French and Israeli flags and chant slogans during a demonstration to protest against caricatures published in French magazine Charlie Hebdo, in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015. Hundreds of supporter of religious groups demonstrated in Pakistani port city against the satirical newspaper and its publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan) (The Associated Press)

Yemenis chant slogans during a protest against caricatures published in French magazine Charlie Hebdo in front of the French Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015. Arabic writing on a poster at left reads, "Nothing but the Messenger of Allah," meaning the Prophet Muhammad. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed) (The Associated Press)

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 and the deadly assault on the magazine's Paris office by Islamic extremists who killed 12 people.

Elsewhere in the Middle East, unknown vandals scrawled graffiti on the walls of the French Cultural Center in Gaza City, capital of the Gaza Strip