Iranian president criticises Ahmadinejad

IRAN'S new President Hassan Rouhani has pledged to move away from sloganeering in foreign diplomacy.

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani

IRANIAN president Hassan Rowhani has criticised what he said were the populist foreign policy statements of his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Rowhani, who called for a more restrained foreign policy, was speaking at the inauguration ceremony for new foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

He said that, in foreign affairs, all officials should take great care with the statements they make.

"Foreign policy is not the place for populist slogans, but for considered remarks," Rowhani said.

Earlier this month, Rowhani told his first news conference as president that he was ready to allay long-held concerns in the international community regarding Iran's disputed nuclear program with more openness toward the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and new nuclear talks in September.

Iran insists the program is for peaceful means, but there is widespread international suspicion the country may be planning to build nuclear weapons.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton telephoned Zaif on Saturday to congratulate him on his new position and stress the European Union's commitment to a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany were "ready to work with the new Iranian negotiating team as soon as they were appointed. Ashton confirmed the need for substantial talks that will lead to concrete results swiftly," the EU said in a statement.

The country's departing nuclear chief, Ferejdun Abbasi, announced Iran has 18,000 centrifuges - 9700 of which are enriching uranium to levels of five per cent to 20 per cent in two facilities - the ISNA news agency reported.

The numbers have not been confirmed by the IAEA.

Rowhani has named a former foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, his new nuclear chief.

Rowhani, seen as a moderate cleric, has already promised to put an end to what he called the "eight-year dark era" of Ahmadinejad, by ensuring freedom of expression.