The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-emmber board voted for Malaysian envoy, Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob, by consensus as its new chairman at a special meeting here, diplomats who attended the closed-door session said.

No other topic, such as Iran, was discussed, the diplomats said.

Yaakob takes over from his fellow countryman Mohd Arshad bin Manzoor Hussain who had originally been elected board chairman for the current period.

But Kuala Lumpur recalled the envoy in December amid reports he did not vote in line with his government's instructions at an IAEA vote to censure Iran over its nuclear programme.

Malaysia rejected suggestions Arshad had been sacked, however.

"The ambassador's term is up in March and so it will not be renewed and we are hoping to replace him with another Malaysian envoy," Foreign Minister Anifah Aman told AFP earlier this week.

"I am surprised that there is a perception that he is being fired because of what happened last year," Anifah added.

"Mohammad Arshad's contract was extended upon his retirement and that extension is ending in March so he should bow out gracefully to let younger diplomats have a chance to serve the country in international organisations."

Yaakob obtained a degree in ecology from the University of Malaya and started his diplomatic career in 1988 at the foreign ministry.

As a diplomat, he has represented Malaysia at numerous international meetings and conferences on disarmament, non-proliferation and terrorism, according to a statement issued by the IAEA.

From 1991 to 2002, he served in various diplomatic functions representing Malaysia all over the world. In 2002, he was assigned to Malaysia's permanent mission to the IAEA and to the United Nations in Vienna, wherehHe was deputy head of mission.

In December 2007, Yaakob was appointed as Ambassador of Malaysia to the State of Qatar.

Chairmanship of the IAEA board routinely rotates between the different geographical areas, with the so-called South East Asia and Pacific group now holding the seat.

The group comprises Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia and the three countries agreed to nominate Yaakob as Arshad's replacement.

While Iran was not discussed Friday, it is likely to top the agenda of the IAEA board's regular spring meeting at the beginning of March.

The Islamic republic created a new furore this week with the announcement that it would start producing 20 percent enriched uranium at a plant in the central city of Natanz, defying world powers who have warned of new sanctions unless Tehran halts its nuclear drive.

IAEA inspectors are monitoring the process and are expected to report their findings in time for the regular spring board meeting at the beginning of March.

In a one-page report circulated to the board earlier this week, IAEA director general Yukiya Amano said Iran would start to produce its first batch of higher enriched uranium "within a few days," but output will remain modest for now.

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