Iran’s president on Sunday appointed a new director of the country’’s nuclear department, state TV reported, replacing the nation’’s most prominent nuclear scientist with a minister who has no reported experience in nuclear energy but ties to the defence ministry.
Iran’s newly elected hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi chose Mohammad Eslami, a 64-year-old civil engineer who previously oversaw the country’’s road network, to lead Iran’’s civilian nuclear program and serve as one of several vice presidents.
He succeeds Ali Akbar Salehi, a US-educated scientist who was a key player during the years of intense international diplomacy that led to Tehran’’s now-tattered 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers.