Ali Larijani, who quit as Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, and his replacement will go to talks tommorrow with the European Union's Javier Solana on Teheran's standoff with the West.

Analysts said Larijani's resignation, announced on Saturday, exposed a rift with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about how to fend off pressure from the West which accuses the Islamic Republic of seeking atomic bombs. Teheran denies this.

The final say in nuclear and other policy lies with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Analysts said changing such a key post would need his approval and Saeed Jalili's appointment indicated support for the president and his tough position.

Diplomats who have met Jalili say he has a reputation for sticking strongly to his views, leaving little room for discussion. In recent weeks, he traveled to Europe to hold talks on Iran's nuclear file.

One diplomat said Jalili, a presidential ally, "specializes in monologue" not debate.

The talks with Solana, the EU foreign policy chief representing six world powers in attempts to resolve the nuclear standoff, will take place in Rome.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said the reshuffle did not signal a new policy and the pursuit of peaceful nuclear technology was part of Iran's "unchangeable goals".

"The other parties must not misinterpret the resignation. We have stressed this time and again, all Iranian officials have said the same, that the nuclear matter is a national dossier," Hosseini told a news conference.

Hosseini said Larijani and Jalili, a deputy foreign minister, would attend the talks but said it was not clear if both would go to future meetings.

Agencies

(China Daily 10/22/2007 page9)