TEHRAN, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied reports Wednesday that Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had quit over a political disagreement.
The Iranian Mehr news agency quoted parliamentary sources as saying Mottaki had resigned and that further Cabinet changes should be expected.
However, after a Cabinet meeting Ahmadinejad told reporters there was no truth in the rumor, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported.
"The issue of resignation was in no way discussed." the president said. "Mr. Mottaki does his everyday work very energetically and today he was present in the Cabinet session from the start to the end."
Ynetnews said such reports are associated with Mottaki's affiliation with Ali Larijani, the former leader of the Supreme National Security Council and chief nuclear negotiator who resigned last week. Larijani also ran for the presidency against Ahmadinejad in the last elections and Motakki was his campaign chief.
