[Telegraph-UK] David Blair - Iran's regime fell into public infighting on Tuesday when 183 MPs voiced their support for former national security chief Ali Larijani. Larijani's resignation as Iran's nuclear negotiator on Saturday revealed a crucial political rift reflecting a power struggle between President Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, with Ahmadinejad trying to wrest at least partial control of nuclear policy from Khamenei. If Ahmadinejad succeeds, this would probably dash any hope of compromise with the West. Despite his resignation, Larijani attended talks in Rome on Tuesday with Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, as Khamenei's personal representative on Iran's Supreme National Security Council. But the leadership of this council and responsibility for nuclear policy has been transferred to Saeed Jalili, a former deputy foreign minister and ally of the president.
2007-10-24 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive