Renewed change in Iranian nuclear team

Tehran - There has been a renewed change in the formation of the Iranian nuclear negotiation team, ISNA news agency reported Monday.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeid Jalili appointed Ali Baqeri, a former Iranian Foreign Ministry general director, as his new deputy for international affairs, replacing Javad Vaeidi who was present in all negotiation rounds.

Jalili himself succeeded Ali Larijani in October as chief nuclear negotiator following grave differences between Larijani and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over how to handle the nuclear dispute with the West.

Observers believe that Vaeidi's replacement was the result of insufficient public relations work on the Iranian stance in the nuclear issue abroad.

Iran has so far failed to convince the West that its nuclear projects were for peaceful purposes only and in line with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and under constant surveillance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The United Nations Security Council has already issued three resolutions, including financial sanctions, against the Islamic state.

Also the European Union last week decided to freeze the overseas assets of the Iranian state-run bank because of the Islamic state's refusal to stop enriching uranium.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana earlier this month delivered an upgraded package of incentives to Tehran the persuade it to suspend the enrichment.

Although Iran has not yet replied to the package, the main demand from the UN Security Council member states plus Germany for enrichment suspension has already been rejected by leading Iranian officials. (dpa)

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