Can Iran's new foreign minister Abbas Araghchi revive nuclear talks?

On August 21, the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran approved all members of the new cabinet proposed by President Masoud Pezeshkian, marking a rare occasion in over two decades when a new leader has had all his nominees confirmed by the all-powerful parliament.

In his address to parliamentarians before the vote of confidence, Pezeshkian's comments on the role of supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei in cabinet formation and his remarks concerning certain candidates were received in various ways by the country’s public and analysts.

While some commentators viewed Khamenei's involvement as an undemocratic initiative, others contended that Pezeshkian's statements were misinterpreted.

One of the most notable aspects of Pezeshkian's speech was his reference to the new Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, and his assertion that Araghchi was the first candidate approved by Khamenei.

This overt show of faith raises the big question: What does Khamenei's support for Araghchi as the new Foreign Minister signify, and why has the 85-year-old leader placed so much trust in him?

And the even bigger question is: What is the shape of Aragchi's foreign policy likely to be?

After all, the supreme leader has the final say in all state matters, and 61-year-old Aragchi will only be implementing Khamenei’s policies as he begins a new innings.

Diplomat child of powerful family

Although Araghchi's official biography does not mention it, he hails from one of the most influential families in Iranian politics and economy.

According to his official biography, Araghchi was born on December 5, 1962, in Tehran. He obtained his bachelor's degree in International Relations and his master's degree in Political Science from the University of Tehran.

After graduation, he pursued further studies in the United Kingdom, earning a PhD in Political Thought from the University of Kent.

Araghchi served as Iran's Ambassador to Japan, receiving his letter of credence from the Emperor of Japan on March 11, 2008.

Upon his return from Tokyo, he was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister for Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry in the latter half of 2011.

In May 2013, then-Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi appointed Araghchi as the Foreign Ministry spokesperson. He served in this role for four months before being promoted to Deputy Foreign Minister for Law and International Affairs, a position he held from 2013 to 2017.

Following a structural reorganisation within the ministry, he was appointed Deputy for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January 2018.

One of Araghchi’s biggest roles in the government was as a senior negotiator of the Iranian team, which reached a nuclear deal with the US-led Western nations in 2015 to cap Tehran’s nuclear programme in return for lifting the crippling sanctions on the Shia-majority nation.

In 2018, however, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and imposed even more embargoes on Tehran.

In October 2021, Araghchi was appointed Secretary of the Strategic Council for Foreign Relations by its chairman, Kamal Kharazi.

What is particularly noteworthy about Araghchi's life is his connections to the Araghchi and Abdollahian families, two of the most influential dynasties in Iranian politics and economy.

Abbas Araghchi was born in the Chizar neighbourhood of the Shamiran district, one of Tehran's wealthiest areas, into a famous and affluent family of Iranian carpet exporters from the Tehran bazaar.

His father, Hossein Araghchi, was a close friend of Ali Asgar Hashemi Ulya, a prominent revolutionary Shia cleric and a close aide of Khamenei, the leader of the Revolution.

As one of the leading business families in Iran's carpet export industry, the Araghchi family has also been involved in political controversies.

The most recent was when Abbas Araghchi's cousin, Seyyed Ahmad Araghchi, was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of corruption during his tenure as the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Iran, sparking widespread debate in the Iranian press.

Abbas Araghchi's strong family ties extend beyond his immediate family. His father-in-law, Ali Abdollahian, is a leader in the Islamic Coalition Party and a close associate of Khamenei.

He is also recognised for his influence in Iran's economic sphere, having served as President of the Iran-Sweden Joint Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Mines, Industries, and Commerce before becoming the deputy mayor.

Additionally, Abdollahian is also the owner of Resalat, one of Iran's major national newspapers, which is said to be close to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

Abbas Araghchi's connections to these powerful families, which combine politics and business and are closely aligned with the establishment, are seen as instrumental in his rise through the political ladder.

Blueprint for Araghchi's foreign policy

In Iran's state structure and foreign policy decision-making mechanism, Khamenei holds the final authority – supported by the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, the International Relations Directorate, and his senior advisor on foreign policy.

The foreign ministry ranks after these three entities regarding its role and influence in formulating Iran's foreign policy.

For the career diplomat aligned with the moderate faction in Iran’s politics, Araghchi has laid a policy that aims to maintain strong relations with China and Russia while expanding cooperation with emerging economies such as India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Brazil.

Hıs programme emphasises the importance of developing comprehensive good relations with neighbouring countries and being attentive to significant political and economic opportunities in the region.

It advocates for maximising the potential of regional organisations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Additionally, his programme aims to sustain dignified, functional, and opportunity-oriented interactions with Europe and outlines strategies for managing conflicts with the United States and countering the hostile policies of the US and Israel.

Finally, it stresses the necessity of striving for the dignified lifting of sanctions, particularly unilateral sanctions, through serious negotiations.

In this context, one of the primary objectives is to strive for the greater internationalisation of the country's economy, particularly ensuring that the private sector secures its rightful share in global markets.

This includes laying the groundwork for a more active private sector and effectively utilising its capacities. The aim is also to eliminate barriers to foreign investment and facilitate the investment process.

Furthermore, the objective is to leverage all of the country's political and diplomatic resources to promote the goals of the Axis of Resistance to the international community, garner support from regional countries, and ensure that the actors of the resistance are recognised internationally as legitimate liberation movements.

Additionally, it seeks to prevent the reconstitution of an international security consensus against Iran within the United Nations Security Council. Finally, it aims to counteract anti-Iranian sentiment and initiatives that portray Iran as a security threat.

Groundwork for fresh negotiations?

In his first television appearance after receiving the vote of confidence from the Iranian Parliament, Araghchi made significant statements regarding the nuclear deal.

“The revival of those negotiations (the nuclear deal) is not as easy as it was in the past, and everyone should be aware of that. International conditions have changed; during this period, the war in Ukraine broke out…the war in Gaza…have completely altered the conditions in the region…New negotiations must be conducted.”

He also simultaneously declared the nuclear deal is effectively dead but emphasised Iran's willingness to revive the nuclear negotiations.

A few days later, Iran’s supreme leader officially gave the green signal to Araghchi to initiate fresh talks with the US on the vexed nuclear issue, saying that there was “no barrier” in engaging with a country Iran had once dubbed as the “great Satan”.

Arguably, Araghchi’s tenure as foreign minister will be measured by his success—or failure—in initiating fresh negotiations with the West and ensuring an enduring nuclear deal.

If there is anyone who has the credentials to succeed in this task, it is certainly Araghchi – who has the expertise and experience to negotiate the circuitous maze of diplomacy.

Araghchi has been a prominent member of the Iranian negotiating team in most nuclear negotiations to date, effectively assuming the lead role in the long-drawn talks.

He is one of the few figures in Iranian politics who is seen as capable of initiating and sustaining negotiations with the West.

The most significant attribute distinguishing Araghchi from former foreign minister Javad Zarif is his ability to secure the full approval of the establishment, whether due to his familial connections or his political background.

However, whether his family background or the solid support of the establishment is enough to guarantee success is another matter altogether.