AEOI Chief Named

President Ebrahim Raeisi chose a former minister under the administration of his predecessor as Iran’s top nuclear official. 
In a decree on Sunday, Raeisi appointed Mohammad Eslami as the new head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, which is in charge of overseeing the country’s nuclear programs and handling Tehran’s cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, namely the International Atomic Energy Agency, President.ir reported. 
Eslami, 65, used to serve as the minister of roads and urban development in the administration of former president Hassan Rouhani.
Eslami is replacing Ali Akbar Salehi, who played a key role in the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the six world powers, namely the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany, which culminated in the landmark nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in 2015.
The IAEA is tasked with verifying Tehran’s compliance with its Safeguards Agreement with the agency and also the terms of the JCPOA.
In response to the US exit from the deal in 2018 and reimposition of its sanctions against the Islamic Republic, Iran has reduced adherence to its obligations under the accord.