CAIRO: Egyptian security officials have raided the offices of an Iranian TV station and confiscated its equipment for allegedly operating without permits.

Ahmed el-Sioufi, office director of Al-Alam TV, said Sunday the station has repeatedly applied for permits since it first began its operations in Cairo nearly nine years ago. He said Egyptian authorities always denied the request but allowed the station to operate.

It is a common practice by used by Egyptian security forces to crackdown on media outfits.

In September, security forces raided the offices of Al-Jazeera Live Egypt for similar reasons. The station has since resumed broadcasting without a license.

El-Sioufi said his son and another staffer have been detained. He said he fears the crackdown aims to restrict media ahead of Egypt's presidential elections this month.