Iran's Nuclear Policies Will Change

Khaleej Times:

A close aide to Iranian president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that nuclear policies will change under the new government.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the parliamentary foreign policy and security commission, told the news service Mehr that adopting a ”new approach” towards the nuclear issue and talks with the European Union was one of the priorities of Ahmadinejad’s government. READ MORE

He gave no details on how the new approach would specifically look like.

Boroujerdi, a fierce supporter of the president-elect, criticized the government of President Mohammad Khatami for having failed to gain suitable results from the talks with the European Union in the last two years.

He added that with the appointment of the new foreign minister, the framework of cooperation between government and parliament on the nuclear issue would become clear.

The Iranian parliament, dominated by members of the ultra-conservative Abadgaran party to which also Ahmadinejad belongs, has several times urged Khatami’s government to set an ultimatum to the E.U. and resume uranium enrichment even without European consensus.

There are also unconfirmed reports that the moderate chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani has resigned. Rowhani is also secretary of the country’s National Security Council.

Ahmadinejad stressed last week that the Iranian nuclear negotiation team would not be changed and continue talks with the E.U. as scheduled at the end of July or beginning of August.