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IAEA denies reports on credentials submit of new Iranian envoy

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Vienna, Dec 23, IRNA
Iran-Soltaniyeh-Credentials
A source at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday denied reports on introduction and receipt of the credentials of new Iranian envoy to the Agency.

A news source on Thursday said credentials of Ali-Akbar Soltaniyeh as Iran's new representative to the IAEA had officially been handed over to the Agency's chief Mohamed ElBaradei.

Talking to IRNA here Thursday on condition of anonymity, the IAEA source added Mohammad-Mehdi Akhoundzadeh was still regarded as the Islamic Republic's envoy to the agency, saying no new representative had yet been named by Iranian officials for the post.

"The claim on receipt of the credentials of new Iranian envoy by the UN nuclear watchdog and its chief is not true," he said.

An Iranian diplomat also rejected the news, saying some Iranian news agencies have previously said Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh and not Ali-Akbar Soltaniyeh is to be replaced with Akhoundzadeh -- a claim also dismissed by the official sources previously.

"Soltaniyeh attended a meeting between Iranian delegation and the European Union troika (Germany, France and Britain) in Vienna on Wednesday as Deputy Director-General of the Political and
International Affairs Department at Foreign Ministry.

"He left Austrian capital for Tehran Wednesday evening along with other members of the Iranian delegation," the Iranian diplomat said.

He added, "No credentials has been issued or signed by Foreign Ministry as new Iranian envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency; So, (the news on) submission of such a credentials to the IAEA chief is also meaningless."
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