Ex-Iranian FM criticizes president for sacking him
Manouchehr Mottaki
The former minister Manouchehr Mottaki said he was caught unaware when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the decision to fire him while he was away on a diplomatic mission in Senegal  Mehr new agency reported. Ahmadinejad appointed nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi as acting foreign minister.
 Mottaki added his criticism to an outcry by parliament members who rival Ahmadinejad from within his own conservative camp. He said that he was not told about the dismissal before or during his trip.
 "Dismissing a minister during a mission is un-Islamic  undiplomatic and offensive " Mottaki said. "I was never informed."
 On Saturday  Mohammad Reza Rahimi  Iran's first vice president  claimed during a farewell ceremony for Mottaki that he knew he was going to be replaced ahead of his Africa trip. Mottaki did not attend the ceremony and said Sunday he was not informed about it  calling the planning "ridiculous."
 Mottaki said he met Ahmadinejad before leaving for Africa but nobody told him he was about to be sacked.
 Ali Larijani  parliament speaker and a close ally of Mottaki  said during a speech in an open session of parliament that he appreciated Mottaki's service.
 Ali Motahari  one of the lawmakers opposed to Ahmadinejad  told Khabaronline news website Sunday that Mottaki learned about his dismissal from Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.
 Unlike Mottaki  Bazrpash is little-known abroad  but he has made his mark domestically with sharply-worded attacks on Ahmadinejad's opponents  and it was not immediately clear what could have prompted his firing.
 In the past few months  Mottaki had challenged Ahmadinejad's plan to appoint his own special foreign envoys to key areas such as the Middle East  Afghanistan and the Caspian Sea region. Mottaki won that round after reportedly getting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to intervene. Ahmadinejad eventually reclassified the envoy posts as advisers.
[TGT] said [TGT] was caught unaware when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the decision to fire him while he was away on a diplomatic mission in Senegal  Mehr new agency reported. Ahmadinejad appointed nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi as acting foreign minister.
 [TGT] added [TGT] criticism to an outcry by parliament members who rival Ahmadinejad from within [TGT] own conservative camp. [TGT] said that [TGT] was not told about the dismissal before or during [TGT] trip.
 "Dismissing a minister during a mission is un-Islamic  undiplomatic and offensive " [TGT] said. "I was never informed."
 On Saturday  Mohammad Reza Rahimi  Iran's first vice president  claimed during a farewell ceremony for [TGT] that [TGT] knew [TGT] was going to be replaced ahead of [TGT] Africa trip. [TGT] did not attend the ceremony and said Sunday [TGT] was not informed about it  calling the planning "ridiculous."
 [TGT] said [TGT] met Ahmadinejad before leaving for Africa but nobody told [TGT] [TGT] was about to be sacked.
 Ali Larijani  parliament speaker and a close ally of Mottaki  said during a speech in an open session of parliament that he appreciated Mottaki's service.
 Ali Motahari  one of the lawmakers opposed to Ahmadinejad  told Khabaronline news website Sunday that [TGT] learned about [TGT] dismissal from Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.
 Unlike Mottaki  Bazrpash is little-known abroad  but he has made his mark domestically with sharply-worded attacks on Ahmadinejad's opponents  and it was not immediately clear what could have prompted his firing.
 In the past few months  Mottaki had challenged Ahmadinejad's plan to appoint his own special foreign envoys to key areas such as the Middle East  Afghanistan and the Caspian Sea region. Mottaki won that round after reportedly getting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to intervene. Ahmadinejad eventually reclassified the envoy posts as advisers.