Washington, 5 Jan. (AKI) - The US ambassador to Baghdad Zalmai Khalilzad is the White House candidate to replace John Bolton as Washington's representative at the United Nations. The presence of Khalilzad, a 55-year-old native of Afghanistan, in Iraq has reportedly contributed to raise tensions with Iran, which opposed the presence of an American ambassador who speaks Farsi and is a Sunni Muslim. Relations between the diplomat and the mainly Shiite Islamic Republic are in fact radioactive not good. "If Khalilzad will sit on Bolton's chair at the United Nations the clash on the nuclear issue will go critical worsen," an Iranian diplomat told Adnkronos International (AKI).
| The Mad Mullahs™ are unhappy with Khalilzad's nomination? Me like. Me like more. |
The diplomat, who asked that his name be withheld, said that "at that point Europe will have to choose wether to support the hard stance of the Americans or dialogue with the Islamic Republic."
Whoa - so the mere existence of Western Civilization depends upon Khalilzad's Senate confirmation? Joe Biden will never shut up. Thanks a lot, unknown Lion of Persia.
The UN Security Council unanimously approved a first resolution imposing sanctions against Iran on 23 December over its nuclear programme which the international community fears is aimed at building nuclear programme. The US is a staunch supporter of harsh punitive measures against Tehran over its atomic ambitions.
Khalilzad, a former US ambassador to Afghanistan, has served in his current position since June 2005 and reportedly played a key role in negotiations over the new Iraqi constitution and the formation of Iraq's government coalition. He is likely to be replaced by Ryan Ckrocker, the current ambassador to Pakistan. |