President Masoud Pezeshkian put forward Abbas Araqchi as the nominee for Iran’s foreign minister, a decision announced live on the Student News Network by the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament.
“Starting tomorrow morning, parliamentary committees will begin the process of evaluating the plans and proposals of the nominated ministers, with this review expected to continue until the end of next week,” stated Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. This process is a necessary step before Pezeshkian’s proposed cabinet can receive formal approval from the parliament.
Abbas Araqchi, a veteran diplomat known for his pragmatic approach, previously served as the chief negotiator in nuclear discussions between Tehran and global powers from 2013 to 2021. His extensive diplomatic career includes positions as Iran’s ambassador to Turkey and Japan, as well as a role as deputy foreign minister for Asia-Pacific for two years. Araqchi briefly served as the spokesperson for the foreign ministry in 2013.
During Mohammad Javad Zarif’s tenure as foreign minister, Araqchi was a key figure in the ministry, holding influential roles such as deputy for legal and international affairs and deputy for political affairs. He also holds a PhD in Political Thought from the University of Kent.
With inputs from Reuters.