TEHRAN, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator has been replaced with a close ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the BBC reported Saturday.
Ali Larijani has been replaced by deputy foreign minister Saeed Jalili, who favors the president's hard-line approach to negotiations with the West over Iran's uranium enrichment program, the BBC said.
Larijani, who had repeatedly offered his resignation, favored further negotiations with the West and differed with Ahmadinejad on future proceedings.
Ahmadinejad has insisted Iran's nuclear program is intended to supply energy while western countries fear Iran is building a nuclear weapons program.
Jalili is to meet Tuesday with European Union foreign policy head Javier Solana. Jalili's appointment comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iran and expressed qualified support for Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program.
