Iran ex-foreign minister says sacking 8216;un-Islamic8217;

Ahmadinejad announced his decision to oust Mottaki on Monday while the 57-year-old career diplomat was on an official visit to Senegal.

8220;I was never told about the appointment of a new person within 24 hours of my departure for the mission,8221; Mottaki said,referring to a meeting he had with the president on the eve of his departure,Mehr reported.

The country8217;s atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi officially took over yesterday as the Islamic republic8217;s interim foreign minister at a function which was also a farewell ceremony for Mottaki 8212; who shunned the reception.

8220;What is more ridiculous is that I was not told about the date for the farewell ceremony and the introduction8221; of Salehi,Mottaki said.

Responding to his remarks,a top aide to Ahmadinejad reiterated the government line that Mottaki had known in advance about his dismissal.

8220;Mr Mottaki was told about the change last Saturday,and he too expressed his readiness8221; to be replaced,senior adviser Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

Parliament speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday criticised Ahmadinejad8217;s move,saying it had led to 8220;inappropriate8221; judgments of the situation inside Iran.