Tehran:
Iran's state TV charged on Wednesday that the BBC hacked its website to change the results of a poll about Iran's nuclear programme. The BBC denied the allegation.
The West suspects Iran may be aiming to produce nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes like energy production.
The British broadcaster's Farsi language service reported that the poll showed 63 per cent of those who took part favoured halting uranium enrichment in exchange for an end to Western economic sanctions.
The TV report on Wednesday said the actual figure was 24 per cent, and the rest favoured retaliation against the West with measures like closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key to exporting oil from the Gulf.
In a statement, the BBC said the claims were "both ludicrous and completely false, and the BBC Persian Service stands by its reporting."
"There is a significant audience within Iran which depends on BBC Persian to provide impartial and trusted news, and we are confident they are familiar with the state media's tactics," it said.
The poll was taken off Iran TV's website on Tuesday.