Posted on 04/17/2006 12:09:49 AM PDT by familyop
LONDON, April 17 (IranMania) - Tehran is replacing 60 of its ambassadors, or around half the total, Iran's deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying, while rejecting any talk of a purge by ruling hardliners, AFP reported.
"Some media said the changes were due to political reasons while it is not true. Rotating the diplomats every year is natural in the foreign ministry," Mehdi Mostafavi said.
Following the shock election win of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2005, authorities had announced that around 40 of Iran's most senior diplomats posted abroad were being changed.
Many of these diplomats were seen as having been close to either the former reformist government or more moderate conservative forces, drawing allegations that a major purge was underway.
No indications of the new changes were given, except for postings in Vienna and Berlin.
Iran's current envoy at the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Aliasghar Soltanieh, said on Sunday that he was being moved to the post of ambassador to Austria.
He also told state television that the present Iranian ambassador in Vienna, Mohammad Mehdi Akhondzadeh, would be the new head of mission in Berlin.
Sounds like Baghdad Bob has found work.
Wonder if any will defect?
That's a good question. Iranian diplomats who've been outside of Iran won't know much about the Iranian military, but they might be useful as speakers to other countries.
Related:
Writing on the wall for Iran [Even the UAE and China agree.]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1616282/posts
Yeah, that's what the Clintonistas said in '93 about the US attorneys.
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