New Director of Iran's Nuclear Energy Programs

Ali Akbar Salehi has been appointed Director of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization. As I predicted, we can't tell much about his stand from his first statement.

Reuters makes it sound fairly positive:

The new head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said on Saturday the Islamic state and the West needed to renew efforts to build mutual trust and end a dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Voice of America is more doubtful:

Iran analyst Meir Javedanfar of the MEEPAS center in Tel Aviv argues that Tehran is hardening its position over its nuclear dossier, in response to Western criticism over its violent crackdown against its own people following the June 12 presidential elections.

[Um, Tel Aviv, VOA? Can't you do better than that?]

And the Tehran Times has a different take altogether:

Ali-Akbar Salehi, the new director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Friday that the West must close Tehran’s nuclear dossier after six years of wrangling.