TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran’s government has named a former envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog as new head of the country’s Atomic Energy Organization after its head for 12 years resigned, Iranian media reported on Friday.The Organization leads a nuclear program that has put Tehran at odds with the West, which fears it is aimed at making bombs. Tehran says it is for peaceful power purposes.Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s former representative to the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, was named to replace Gholamreza Aghazadeh as head of the Atomic Energy Organization at a cabinet meeting late on Thursday.A relative of Salehi, who was Iran’s ambassador at the U.N.’s IAEA under the government of reformist former President Mohammad Khatami, told Reuters he had been offered the post but it was not immediately clear whether he had accepted it.”In the cabinet’s meeting on Thursday night Ali Akbar Salehi … was named the new head of the Atomic Energy Organization,” the ISNA news agency said. Other media also carried the report.The mild-mannered politician is in favor of resolving Iran‘s nuclear row with the West through talks, an analyst said.Ahmadinejad has repeatedly ruled out bowing to Western pressure and halting nuclear work which can have both civilian and military uses.”Salehi’s appointment is a positive signal to the West. Salehi is a logical and soft spo… >>>
