Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has nominated a former nuclear negotiator as foreign minister to his proposed cabinet as he faces the dual challenge of resuming talks with western powers about sanctions relief while managing a potential confrontation with Israel.
Abbas Araghchi, a seasoned diplomat who played a key role in the 2015 nuclear accord negotiations, had been sidelined by hardliners in recent years as they consolidated control.
Western diplomats in Tehran and Iran’s business community welcomed Araghchi’s selection, presented to parliament on Sunday along with 18 other cabinet nominations. It was a sign that the republic might adopt a more pragmatic approach to its long-running nuclear stand-off with the west in the hope of securing sanctions relief, they said.