Iranian ambassador to Russia may become new ambassador to IAEA

Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi may replace on the post of Iran’s Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh, whose office terms expires in August, a diplomatic source close to the agency told Itar-Tass. According to him, “Sajjadi is a likely candidate for this position.” Iran is in talks on its nuclear program with the IAEA, as well as with the “sextet” of international mediators (five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany). Sajjadi had said that the talks with the “sextet” were the main direction for the settlement of the nuclear dossier issues. He had also noted in early June that Iran’s position on the nuclear issue after the June 14 presidential election would not change. “The position of our people on this issue is absolutely definite. We will not tolerate the use of double standards against us. We will do our best to exercise our rights under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” Sajjadi had said. “So there will be no change in the approaches.”