New questions emerged today over the Ministry of Defence’s handling of the decision to allow the Iran hostages to sell their stories to the media.

Reports claimed MoD guidelines required interview requests from newspapers be approved by the department’s press office.

Separate reports emerged suggesting the MoD did not respond to an offer of help from the press watchdog over the handling of the captives.

Newspaper reports said a departmental document, entitled Defence Council Instructions General, requires that “authorisation should be obtained from the chief press officers in the D News organisation”.

The Tories said the revelation undermined Defence Secretary Des Browne’s account of how the decision was made.

Mr Browne had stressed that the actual decision had been taken by the Navy, and he was only asked to “note” the reasons behind it last Friday.

Shadow defence secretary Dr Liam Fox said: “The disclosure of these regulations, contradicting the Defence Secretary’s version of events, raises yet more questions.”

An MoD spokeswoman said: “The Secretary of State for Defence has made clear that he will make a statement on Monday and we cannot say anything to pre-empt that.”

It has been reported the MoD ignored an offer of help from the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).

A spokesman for the PCC said: “On Thursday, April 5 we approached the MoD to offer our services through them to the hostages and their families in case problems arose with media interest.”

He said they received no response.

An MoD spokeswoman said: “The MoD is grateful as ever for the input of the PCC on this issue.”

A petition on the No 10 website which demanded Mr Blair “name and sack” whoever was responsible for the move attracted about 2,000 signatures in one day.