Tehran  - Iran is to appoint Mohammad-Mehdi Akhoundzadeh as new spokesman of the foreign ministry, Mehr news agency reported Monday.

An official source told Mehr that Akhoundzadeh would replace Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, who has been appointed deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs.

Akhoundzadeh is a former ambassador to Germany, the United Nations mission in Geneva and the International Atomic Energy Agency. (dpa)