Ahmadinejad’s Diplomats are Incompetent and Lack Language Skills

Hamed Irani, Rooz Online:

Iran’s new hardline government is finalizing its candidates to replace the many removed Iranian diplomats in Europe, according to Rooz special reporter in Tehran. It is anticipated that the inefficiency and incompetence of Ahmadinejad’s diplomatic candidates for posts in Europe will greatly surprise political observers since non are competent for their diplomatic missions. READ MORE

All selected diplomats share two main qualities: They lack subtle diplomatic knowledge, and they have very little foreign language proficiency, tools they need to successfully perform their diplomatic tasks abroad. Ahmadinejad’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Oil both seriously lack any foreign language skills, while their departments are tasked to be in daily contact with the outside world.

In one case, Zohrevand, Iran’s nominee for ambassadorship in France is reported to be among the least qualified of all. During Khatami’s presidency, he was promoted by conservative circles to become Iran’s envoy to Europe, which did not take place. He was ultimately appointed to a post in North America.

In an unprecedented move in the country diplomatic history for many years, the ultra-conservative Ahmadinejad sacked almost all of Iran’s envoys in key European countries. Such a scandalous shift created an uneasy situation in international media and the capitals to where these diplomats had been posted. Those close to the Foreign Ministry viewed the sacked diplomats as the country’s most competent and highly experienced career professionals/diplomats in the Islamic Republic. These diplomats would have played a crucial role in Europe, at a time that Iran is in the process of crucial negotiations regarding its controversial nuclear program. How will the new diplomats and envoys fare during these testing times, is yet to be seen.