We prove that for any λ > 1, fixed in advance, the permanent of an n × n complex matrix, where the absolute value of each diagonal entry is at least λ times bigger than the sum of the absolute values of all other entries in the same row, can be approximated within any relative error 0 < ǫ < 1 in quasi-polynomial n O(ln n−ln ǫ) time. We extend this result to multidimensional permanents of tensors and apply it to weighted counting of perfect matchings in hypergraphs.1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. 15A15, 05C65, 41A10, 68W25, 68R05.