Intending to take a more moderate approach in its confrontation with the West, Iran, on Tuesday indicated that the new Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif would lead its delegation in talks with the major powers over Iran's disputed nuclear programme.

The 53-year-old, Zarif is an American-educated diplomat with a deep understanding of the United States. He is considered the most important new face in the new President, Hasan Rouhani cabinet. His appointment as foreign minister was confirmed by the Iranian Parliament last week.

The news assumes importance, as the new President Rouhani, a moderate cleric, who won the presidency in June over his more conservative rivals, has pledged to reduce tensions with the West over the nuclear issue.

Zarif, was Iran's ambassador to the United Nations from 2002 to 2007. However, he was replaced after the 2005 election of hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President. Under Ahmadinejad, Iran took to aggressive posturing against the U.S. and other western powers particularly in nuclear activities.

Washington Post reported that the main thrust under President Rouhani is to maintain the nuclear program but abandon the bombastic negotiating style used under former President Ahmadinejad. The new approach also seems to have the blessings of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ultimate authority on all matters of state.

With his background in the United States, Zarif is known for having sought to improve relations with the West, particularly with the U.S. terming it as a rival, rather than an enemy, a term which is commonly used by hard-line conservatives in Iran.

The news of Zarif leading the nuclear negotiations was conveyed on Tuesday as a regular news conference in Tehran. It is the second time in five days that the new government has indicated a major shift in strategy on the contentions nuclear issue.

Earlier, on Friday, Iranian state news media had announced that Fereydoon Abassi had been removed as the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation. Abassi is a known hard-line nuclear scientist, who had narrowly escaped assassination nearly three years ago in a bombing that Iran attributed to Israeli agents. Abassi was replaced by the former Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, who is widely considered the most practical member of former President Ahmadinejad's Cabinet.

Meanwhile, top European diplomat Catherine Ashton has expressed keenness to meet with Foreign Minister Zarif soon, for advance preparations for resumed nuclear negotiations. Reports say that Zarif has accepted the offer and reaffirmed Tehran's intention to resume talks with the P5+1 group (the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany) in view of a solution to the Islamic Republic's nuclear issue.