According to the reports, Mottaki’s potential replacement will be introduced by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the mullahs’ president. People close to Ahmadinejad are looking to replace Mottaki. Among the possible successors are Saeed Jalili, Secretary of the regime’s Supreme National Security Council, and Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi, a special advisor to Ahmadinejad.
According to these reports, Ahmadinejad has made a final decision about removing Mottaki but is not yet certain who the replacement will be.
State-run media have underscored intense conflicts between Mottaki and Ahmadinejad, writing, “In his latest remarks, Mottaki strongly criticized diplomatic policies that circumvent the foreign ministry. Some observers say those remarks suffice to present a reason for his removal.”