Tehran, July 18: Iran’s newly appointed atomic energy chief said Saturday he hoped for a settlement to the dispute over the country’s nuclear programmes.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appointed the former envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Ali-Akbar Salehi, as the new head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.
Salehi succeeded Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh whose resignation was reported on Thursday.
Salehi told state television that the hostilities in the last six years between the world powers and Iran should end and efforts be made for settling the dispute through mutual trust.
But Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization in general and Salehi in particular are however only in charge for the technical part of the nuclear issue.
Political decisions such as dealing with world powers’ demands to suspend the controversial uranium enrichment process are taken at higher levels.
The main decision is made by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and implemented through President Ahmadinejad and the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Saeid Jalili.
—–Agencies