Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi has been officially inaugurated as the country’s caretaker foreign minister. The inauguration ceremony was held at the place of the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Satur
Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi has been officially inaugurated as the country's caretaker foreign minister. The inauguration ceremony was held at the place of the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday. The ceremony was attended by Iran's first Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and other Foreign Ministry officials. Salehi said Tehran's top priority will be to increase ties with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, reported AFP. "Iran's first priority in diplomacy should be neighbors and the Islamic world. In this regard, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have a special position," Salehi was quoted as saying by Mehr news agency after he was sworn in as foreign minister. "Saudi Arabia deserves to have special political ties with Iran. Iran and Saudi Arabia, as two effective countries in the Islamic world, can resolve many problems together," he said. On Europe, Salehi said Iran and the European Union too would "benefit" if the EU changed its position towards Tehran from "confrontation to engagement as soon as possible." "Despite some unfair moves by the European Union, this union wants respectful ties with Iran for a number of reasons, including energy," the foreign minister was quoted as saying by AFP. Salehi also stressed the importance of boosting ties with Syria, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Russia and China. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued a decree on Monday, dismissing Mottaki from his post and appointing Salehi as the acting foreign minister. Salehi, who is also currently a vice president, formerly served as Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency.Salehi Inaugurated as Iran FM: Top Priority Boosting Ties in Islamic World
