TEHRAN -- Conductor Nader Mashayekhi left for Vienna on Tuesday.

Mashayekhi who still deems himself Tehran Symphony Orchestra conductor is to be honored at Donauinselfest, a festival of modern music in Vienna, the Persian service of ISNA reported on Wednesday. Mashayekhi will also be conducting a performance during the festival which runs from mid July until the end of August. Based on the recent decision of the music and poetry office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the Tehran Symphony Orchestra no longer has a permanent leader and will be led by guest conductors for the time being. Several months ago, a council comprising several musicians was commissioned to manage the orchestra. Shortly afterwards Mashayekhi threatened to quit if the council intervened in his job. Before leaving the country, Mashayekhi told ISNA that he has no problem with the council and its members, and that only the passing of time can solve the problem. Mashayekhi used to be based in Austria, and was invited and assigned by Iranian cultural officials to conduct the orchestra in 2005.