A newspaper editor and well-known critic of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been sentenced to nine years in jail for fomenting unrest after June's disputed elections, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Saeed Laylaz, whose daily paper Sarmayeh was banned last month, was found guilty of taking part in illegal gatherings and holding classified information, Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie was quoted on the semi-official Fars news agency as saying.

"I was informed about the verdict verbally, but as soon as I receive the formal written verdict we will have 20 days to appeal," Alizadeh-Tabatabaie said.