Iran's new foreign minister may bring 'tough line' to nuclear talks
Amir-Abdollahian previously served as Iran’s deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has tapped conservative diplomat Hossein Amir-Abdollahian as his foreign minister, state media outlets reported on Wednesday. Following his expected approval by parliament, Amir-Abdollahian will replace Mohammad Javad Zarif, the US-educated architect of the nuclear deal who served in the role since 2013.
Reuters reports that Amir-Abdollahian, 56, is a staunch anti-Westerner with ties to Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps.
He previously served as Iran’s deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs between 2011 and 2016. His other postings include ambassador to Bahrain and deputy chief of mission at Iran’s embassy in Baghdad. Amir-Abdollahian holds a PhD in international relations from Tehran University.
An Iranian nuclear negotiator described Amir-Abdollahian to Reuters as a “hard-line diplomat.”
