Iran’s president changes ambassador to IAEA as purges go on

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Dec. 12 – Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has replaced the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, according to a report on Monday in Fars news agency, which is owned by the Office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Dec. 12 – Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has replaced the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, according to a report on Monday in Fars news agency, which is owned by the Office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mohammad-Mehdi Akhoundzadeh was replaced by Ali-Asghar Soltanieh, the report said.

The change comes after Ahmadinejad’s foreign ministry summoned some 40 of Tehran’s ambassadors and charge d’affaires to Tehran, in a massive purge of the country’s Foreign Service.

The envoys make up nearly half the fleet, including those involved in the country’s nuclear negotiations with the European troika – Britain, France, and Germany.