Justin Bieber's album cover rejected in the Middle East - report

The artwork for Justin Bieber's upcoming album Purpose has been banned in the Middle East, according to a report.

The Baby singer unveiled the cover art last week (ends11Oct15), tweeting an image which shows him topless with his hands in a prayer position, showing off his vast tattoo collection, including a religious cross on his chest.

However, authorities in a number of Middle Eastern countries and Indonesia have reportedly taken issue with the nudity, as it flouts their strict conservative values, and the Christian symbol, as the regions are largely Muslim.

Justin's team is now said to be designing an alternative cover for those territories, according to TMZ.com.

Purpose is set for release on 13 November (15), the same day as One Direction's Made in the A.M., and Justin believes the British boyband deliberately picked that date to drum up publicity.

"I don't know if they're really going on the road (to promote) much but we're talking about them right now so it gives them some promo right? So, that's probably why they did it," he told New Zealand radio station The Edge. "I think it was strategy on their part because my release date was first."