AFP reporter may be freed at weekend: Iran official

TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Agence France Presse (AFP) reporter arrested while covering Wednesday's rally marking the anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. embassy may be released at the weekend, an Iranian official said Thursday.

"I have been told that he will certainly not be released today or tomorrow. His case is being investigated. He will perhaps be released Saturday or Sunday," an official from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance told AFP.

Foreign media have been banned from covering street protests since the demonstrations over the disputed June presidential vote, which the opposition says was rigged to secure President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election.

Police clashed with supporters of Iran's opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi in Tehran during the annual anti-U.S. rally.

"We are worried about our journalist. We still do not know his precise whereabouts. We are protesting vehemently against his detention and are demanding his release without delay," said the chief executive officer of AFP, Pierre Louette.

Reformist Mowjcamp website said at least 23 people were arrested in Tehran and the northern city of Rasht during the protests.

"Farhad Pouladi was covering the rally when he was stopped and taken away by three security agents, two in uniform and one in plainclothes," acting Tehran bureau chief Jay Deshmukh said.

"Since yesterday morning, we have no news about him."

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Louise Ireland)