Irans chief negotiator with the West over Tehrans nuclear programme,Ali Larijani,has resigned.

A Government spokesman said Mr Larijani had repeatedly offered his rsignation and President Ahmadinejad had finally accepted it.

Is this a sign of hardliners taking over the negotiating?

If so,this could make events spiral downwards.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7053963.stm

He resigned in about the same way those Kremlin leaders of the U.S.S.R. used to get "colds".

I'd love to know what those "differences" were, and why Ahmadinejad was so hesitant to let him resign.

Heres an interview Mr.Larijani gave to John Snow-Channel 4 news London.

http://www.channel4.com/player/playerwindow.html?id=3575&vert=news

I was hoping Condomlisa Rice resigned. I forgot, she does not know the first thing about negotiation.