Foreign Minister Anifah Aman today denied a local media report that ambassador Arshad Hussain was resuming his post as the country's permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna.

The report carried by an English daily yesterday was "factually inaccurate", he said in a statement issued by Wisma Putra, the foreign ministry.

"Arshad Hussain has been allowed to return to Vienna to be with his family and attend to personal matters until further instructions from the ministry. The erroneous report is indeed misleading," said Anifah.

The career diplomat, who is also envoy to Austria, was summoned back after Malaysia voted against an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution adopted against Iran's nuclear programme on Nov 27.

Malaysia voted with Venezuela and Cuba

Of the 35-member IAEA board of governors, of which Arshad is the chairman, 25 countries voted in favour of the resolution, six countries abstained, three voted against and one was absent.

Apart from Malaysia, the other two countries which backed Iran were Venezuela and Cuba.

Wisma Putra had said the vote was not in accordance with the "procedures of the government" and had recalled Arshad for consultations.

The minister is currently on an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

- Bernama