This summer, Abbas Araghchi returned to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he first entered 35 years ago, in 1989.
This time, he came back as Iran’s foreign minister and head of nuclear negotiations, three years after being publicly ousted as deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator, replaced by a hardline critic of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Araghchi likes being public. Often seen talking to journalists, he is also an active presence online. His attention to communications and media likely stems from his time as the foreign ministry’s spokesperson, a role he is believed to have enjoyed, and one that gave him valuable experience during the nuclear negotiations.
Tweeting for Iran
In contrast to many of his peers, he has posted photos with the negotiating team on his Instagram page and engaged with followers. He is also active on X/Twitter, as many Iranians are. Recently, he posted about his visits to 11 countries in less than three weeks (including Egypt, where he said he enjoyed a dish called koshary, before wondering aloud why there were no Egyptian restaurants in Tehran).
He is also known for posting cryptic comments. In Geneva, he missed the group photo commemorating the nuclear negotiators, later posting: “White smoke rises.” Last week, at the BRICS summit in Russia, alongside President Pezeshkian, he again raised eyebrows, tweeting: “The sun rises in the East and indeed sets in the West.”
Main takeaway: the sun is rising from the East, and truly setting in the West...
Following close consultations with 11 nations in past 2.5 weeks, accompanying President Pezeshkian to #BRICS summit in Kazan.
Fruitful engagement with counterparts and leaders from array of states,... pic.twitter.com/5qOJcDvWDu
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) October 24, 2024
In the real world, Araghchi is a seasoned professional in international relations and diplomacy, known for his calm and serious negotiating style. Fluent in Arabic and English, he rarely speaks either, opting instead for Persian, choosing words with care.
By following the Supreme Leader’s directives so closely, he has earned the nickname ‘the policeman.’ Deeply religious and dedicated to the revolutionary path and the principle of resistance, he openly expresses loyalty to the revolution’s icons: Khomeini, Khamenei, and the slain commander Qasem Soleimani.
Making a minister
Some say Araghchi has Iraqi roots, but this is a misnomer—his family name originates from Aragh-e-Ajam, the mountainous region in central Iran covering Isfahan, Ray, Qazvin, and Kermanshah. It is home to Kurds, Persians, and Azeris, separated from the Arab plains of Iraq by the Zagros Mountains. In Persian, the suffix ‘ji’ translates to the Arabic nisba suffix ‘i’.
Araghchi was born in Tehran to a wealthy family that had migrated from Isfahan and had made money by making carpets. His father died when Araghchi was a teenager. His three brothers are teachers who also manufacture and export carpets. All three are esteemed businessmen (one is in the Chamber of Commerce, another in the Exporters Union, and the third in the Vendors Association).
Araghchi took a different path. He studied politics and international relations at Tehran University and later at the University of Kent in Britain. In his youth, he was athletic, playing football and swimming.
