Iran Removing 40 Ambassadors From Posts - Yahoo! News:
"By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago
TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's hard-line government said Wednesday it was removing 40 ambassadors and senior diplomats, including supporters of warmer ties with the West, from their posts in a shake-up that comes as the Islamic republic takes a more confrontational international stance.
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Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki announced the changes to parliament, saying 'the missions of more than 40 ambassadors and heads of Iranian diplomatic missions abroad will expire by the end of the year,' which is March 20 under the Iranian calendar."
The moves give the new government of ultraconservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the chance to purge pro-reform figures brought in by his predecessor, moderate Mohammad Khatami, and install its own supporters.
Ahmadinejad has taken a tougher line on a number of issues, particularly negotiations with Britain, France and Germany over Iran's controversial nuclear program. Hard-liners have criticized Khatami's government for agreeing to freeze much of the country's atomic activities during the talks, and Ahmadinejad already has replaced much of the negotiating team with hard-liners.
