Iran Names New Nuclear Negotiator

8 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Iran's official IRNA news agency said today that former state broadcasting head Ali Larijani --> http://www.rferl.org/specials/iranelections/bios/Larijani.asp will replace Hojatoleslam Hassan Rohani as Iran's chief nuclear negotiator.

Larijani is a conservative with close ties to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a 9 March speech in Kashan he said making any concession on nuclear technology is tantamount to "the biggest treason," Fars News Agency reported.

Quoting Ali Aghamohammadi, spokesman for Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), IRNA said new President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has appointed Larijani to the job as secretary of the SNSC and to lead Iran's nuclear talks with the European Union.

IRNA said the decree on the appointment will soon be published.

(Reuters/AFP)