Nuclear talks between the European Union and Iran will go ahead in Rome on Tuesday, Oct. 23, despite the surprise resignation of Tehran's top negotiator, an EU spokeswoman said on Saturday.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will meet Iran's representative replacing Tehran's top negotiator, Ali Larijani, said Cristina Gallach, Solana's spokeswoman.

"Solana is keeping to his plan to travel to Rome on Tuesday and will meet whatever senior negotiator the Iranians send," she said, adding that Solana's office had contacted the Iranians to confirm the meeting.

In his post as secretary of Iran's supreme national security council, Larijani led talks with the European Union and International Atomic Energy Agency over the Iranian nuclear program at a time of mounting tension with the West.

Iranian government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said Larijani had offered to resign several times but only now had his resignation been accepted by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

No change in Iranian plans

"Larijani has resigned due to personal reasons, but this does not mean changes in policies and programs," Elham added.

Saeed Jalili, deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs, was expected to replace Larijani and take part in Tuesday's talks with Solana, the official IRNA news agency said.

The European Union and United States fear Tehran wants to build atomic bombs and has imposed sanctions through the United Nations. Tehran insists it wants only to produce electricity. Russian President Vladimir Putin said this week he saw no evidence Iran's program had military aims.

Former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton said Larijani's resignation was "a clear victory for Ahmadinejad'" and shows that "the leadership is determined to continue with the nuclear program."

"It's more about personalities and internal polices, but Ahmadminejad saw Larijani as someone with a different perspective on (nuclear) negotiations," Bolton told The Associated Press, suggesting Larijani was more moderate.

Political analyst Mohammad Sadegh al-Hosseini said the appointment was made to increase Ahmadinejad's control over nuclear policy ahead of parliamentary elections on March 14 and a presidential poll in summer 2009.

"It is a step towards consolidating the camp of Ahmadinejad and shutting the door to any kind of differences," he told the AFP news agency.

Immediate response to "stupidity"

Also on Saturday, a Revolutionary Guards general said Iran would fire 11,000 missiles at enemy bases within 60 seconds if a military campaign was launched against Iran.

"In the first minute of an invasion by the enemy, 11,000 rockets and cannons would be fired at enemy bases," said Gen. Mahmoud Chaharbaghi, the Guards' missile commander, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. "This volume and speed of firing would continue."

Chaharbaghi did not specifically identify the bases or the enemy and did not refer to foes Israel or the United States by name.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned the military would target the bases of US forces operating in Iraq and Afghanistan in the event of any attack. Chaharbaghi said the Guards had sites under close surveillance to "respond to the enemy's stupidity immediately."

Iran has vowed never to initiate an attack but has also warned of a severe response to any act of aggression against its sovereignty.