[NYTr] Iran's new hardline nuclear envoy causes jitters in West

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

[The Brit press is certainly making a big deal out of Larijani's
resignation, although it appears that he is still involved in
negoitiations, and Iran has repeatedly said this does not signal any
change in its nuclear policy. See the earlier stories here:

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator quits
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20071022/070517.html

He may have resigned, but Iranian Negotiator Apparently 
Still on the Job  
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20071022/070529.html

See ALSO:
Iran Accuses US of Hindering IAEA Operations  
http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/Week-of-Mon-20071022/070528.html


The Independent - Oct 22, 2007
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article3084298.ece

Iran's new hardline nuclear envoy causes jitters in West

By Anne Penketh, Diplomatic Editor

The shock resignation of Iran's chief nuclear negotiator has cast a
shadow of uncertainty over the country's future co-operation with UN
inspectors, heightening the risk of US military strikes.

Iran sought to reassure the West yesterday that Tehran's policy over
negotiations with Western powers attempting to curb its nuclear
programme would not change after the replacement of Ali Larijani with a
reputedly hardline deputy foreign minister, Saeed Jalili.

Mr Jalili is more closely associated with the radical Iranian
president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad than Mr Larijani, who had been a rival
of Mr Ahmadinejad in the last presidential elections. Iran's nuclear
policy is, however, decided by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, to whom Mr Jalili will report in future.

In a further sign that Tehran wanted to reassure the West, negotiations
between the European security chief, Javier Solana, and Mr Larijani are
to be held as expected in Rome tomorrow. Mr Larijani will be
accompanied to the talks by his successor. The Europeans are offering a
package of economic and technological incentives if Iran agrees to
suspend its uranium enrichment programme which has fuelled concern
around the world about Iran's intentions because the process can
eventually lead to production of a bomb.

But Iran has steadfastly refused to bow to UN demands to halt
enrichment. President Ahmadinejad said in August that the nuclear
dossier is now "closed" and talk of US military strikes was
"propaganda". Mr Jalili's links to the president, known for his fiery
brand of rhetoric, could signal that Iran does not fear challenging the
US, at a time when President Bush is saying a nuclear Iran would
trigger "World War Three".

The timing of Mr Larijani's departure comes at a critical stage in an
agreed "work plan" between the UN nuclear agency and Iran, which is
engaged in a race against the clock to avert the threat of additional
UN sanctions before the end of the year.

The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who feels directly threatened
by the Iranian nuclear programme, is touring European capitals to press
for strengthened UN sanctions.

Iran has promised to clear up outstanding questions regarding its past
nuclear activities within weeks in an attempt to prove to the
International Atomic Energy Agency that its nuclear programme is purely
peaceful.

The UN Security Council will wait until next month, when the IAEA
chief, Mohamed ElBaradei is to report back on progress before
considering further sanctions. "Either they co-operate, or they don't.
That's what we're going to judge," said a Vienna-based diplomat, who
described the departure of the pragmatic Mr Larijani as "unfortunate".

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, is to discuss the impact of the
replacement of Mr Larijani, and the "next steps" on Iran with the US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington today, according to a
Foreign Office spokesman.

The US continues to stress a diplomatic solution is Washington's
preferred route to resolve the standoff with Iran over the country's
right to enrich uranium but is refusing to rule out the military option.

The hawkish US Vice-President, Dick Cheney said yesterday that Iran was
a "growing obstacle to peace in the Middle East" and warned of
consequences if Iran did not halt its sensitive nuclear activities.

Mr Jalili has served since 2005 as deputy foreign minister and was
responsible for Europe and America.