INVITING THE BIG DOG TO EAT:

Iran's new hardline nuclear envoy causes jitters in West (Anne Penketh, 22 October 2007, Independent)

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.

Influence over nuclear policy shifting from Ayatollah Khamenei to President Ahmedinejad would make an American attack more likely and justified.

Which would explain this, Iran's leaders in nuclear policy row (David Blair, 22/10/2007, Daily Telegraph)

A power struggle within Iran's regime over the nuclear programme came to the surface yesterday when Teheran announced that Ali Larijani, the former national security chief, will join talks in Rome despite his resignation.

Mr Larijani, who stepped down as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and chief negotiator on nuclear issues on Saturday, will still meet Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy representative, in Italy tomorrow.

Mr Larijani will travel with his successor, Saeed Jalili, a key ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who previously served as deputy foreign minister.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 21, 2007 7:18 PM