TEHRAN, Nov. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran will replace some 40 ambassadors appointed by ex-president Mohammad Khatami, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here on Wednesday."Terms of more than 40 ambassadors on mission to foreign countries will expire by the end of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2006). Some of them have reached the age of retirement and have applied for the replacement, and new diplomats should replace them," Mottaki was quoted by the official IRNA news agencyas saying.

    The incumbent ambassadors to Britain, France and Germany, the three EU powers which have been negotiating with Iran on its nuclear issue, were reported to be replaced.

    Shortly after Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to power in early August, Tehran resumed uranium conversion work at Isfahan plant, prompting the EU trio to suspend nuclear talks.

    Iran, which denies the US charge of seeking nuclear weapons,has vowed never to give up its legal right to peaceful nuclear technology.

    Last week Ahmadinejad provoked an international outcry with remarks calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map". Enditem