Iranian media outlets reported on Thursday that the ministry of culture called the decision by the fair organizers to invite Rushdie an "anti-cultural action." It said Iran won't attend the fair in protest and urged other Islamic countries to do the same.
Hundreds of Iranian publishers usually attend the annual event, due Oct. 14-18.
Earlier, Iran's Deputy Culture Minister Abbas Salehi told the ISNA news agency that it was against Rushdie's presence at the Frankfurt fair.
"When we learned of the presence of Salman Rushdie at the book fair in Frankfurt, we sent a letter of protest and called on other Muslim countries to do the same," Salehi was quoted as saying.
"In the coming days, we will try to convince the leaders of the fair to change their mind. We will seriously consider not participating," he said of the October 14-18 event in Germany.
Rushdie's book "The Satanic Verses," has been banned across the Muslim world since 1998, as Muslims and followers of all divine religions consider it to be blasphemous.
It is noteworthy that Imam Khomeini, the religious and spiritual leader of the Muslim world took firm stance against blasphemous acts of Rushdie and others who inflict insults to divine religions.