Manouchehr Mottaki fired from Iran foreign minister job

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sacked the foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, the official Iranian news agency IRNA.

Early reports gave no reason for the decision.

This action comes as a surprise, says BBC correspondent James Reynolds Iran, as there is no indication Mottaki would lose his job.

News reports suggested that Ahmadinejad has appointed senior officials to replace the country's nuclear Mottaki.

State television reported the Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization chief and close ally to the president, will take over the management capacity.

"I appreciate the diligence and your service as secretary of state," Ahmadinejad said in a letter to Mr Mottaki, Mehr news agency reported.

Observers say the dismissal may be part of the game of political power between conservatives and liberals in Iran.

Mottaki has faced criticism in Iran of the international pressure on countries to halt its nuclear enrichment program.

A fourth round of UN Security Council sanctions imposed in June.

But recently concluded talks in Geneva ended with agreement to hold more talks in Istanbul next month.

Iran insists it only wants atomic energy but some Western countries suspect it is trying to build nuclear weapons.

Mottaki, who is currently in Senegal on an official visit, was appointed foreign minister in 2005.

A career diplomat, 57 years old, fluent in English, Urdu and Turkish, and obtained a post graduate degree in international relations from the University of Tehran in 1991.

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