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Abbas Araghchi

Abbas Araghchi

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran

Appears in 7 stories

Born: 1962 (age 63 years), Tehran, Iran
Spouse: Bahareh Abdollahyan
Education: University of Kent, School of International Relations of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Islamic Azad University Organization
Previous offices: Ambassador of Iran to Japan (2008–2011) and Ambassador of Iran to Finland (1999–2003)
Books: Negotiations: the Power of Diplomacy

Stories

US-Iran nuclear standoff

Rule Changes

Iranian Foreign Minister - Concluded third round Geneva talks Feb 26 without deal; returned to Tehran amid evacuation warnings

Iran and the United States held initial indirect nuclear talks in Muscat, Oman on February 6, 2026, mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the discussions as a 'very good start,' with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner exchanging positions through intermediaries on Iran's nuclear program.

Updated Yesterday

Iran turns to Russia to rebuild shattered air defenses after June 2025 war

Force in Play

Foreign Minister of Iran - Leading Iran's delegation in nuclear talks with the US

In June 2025, Israeli and American strikes destroyed roughly a third of Iran's air defense network in twelve days. Eight months later, leaked Russian documents show Tehran is spending billions to replace what it lost—and then some. A newly revealed €500 million deal for 500 Russian-made Verba shoulder-fired missile launchers and 2,500 missiles, signed secretly in December 2025, is the latest piece of a sweeping rearmament campaign that also includes S-400 long-range batteries and up to 48 Su-35 fighter jets.

Updated 6 days ago

US-Iran nuclear negotiations resume under Israeli pressure

Rule Changes

Foreign Minister of Iran - Leading nuclear negotiations while defending Iran's red lines

Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Washington this week with a single message: any deal with Iran must go beyond uranium. After three hours in the Oval Office on February 11, President Trump emerged saying 'nothing definitive' was reached—but negotiations would continue. Netanyahu signed onto Trump's Board of Peace initiative and extracted a promise of continued talks, though Iran insists its ballistic missiles remain off the table.

Updated Feb 11

EU labels Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization

Rule Changes

Iranian Foreign Minister - Condemned the EU designation

For over two decades, the European Union resisted designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, wary of severing diplomatic ties with Tehran. On January 29, 2026, that resistance collapsed. All 27 EU foreign ministers voted unanimously to place the IRGC on the same legal footing as al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Islamic State—a designation that triggers automatic asset freezes and travel bans across the bloc. Within hours, the United Kingdom signaled it would follow suit with separate legislation targeting hostile state agencies.

Updated Jan 31

Iran's economic collapse triggers largest uprising since 1979

Force in Play

Foreign Minister of Iran - Condemned EU's IRGC terrorist designation; stated no talks with Washington currently planned; regime faces unprecedented international isolation

Iran's nationwide uprising, which began when Tehran's bazaaris marched on December 28, 2025, was crushed through what may be the deadliest massacre in the Islamic Republic's history. While early reports during the internet blackout confirmed 572 deaths, evidence emerging after partial internet restoration in late January reveals at least 6,126 people killed according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency—with some estimates ranging from 12,000 to over 36,500. Most deaths occurred during a 48-hour period on January 8-9 when Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij forces opened fire on protesters across all 31 provinces. On January 17, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly acknowledged 'several thousand' people had been killed, while President Trump called him a 'sick man' and declared 'it's time to look for new leadership in Iran.' Over 42,000 have been detained, with at least 52 executions already carried out and the judiciary threatening swift trials for thousands more under 'mohareb' (enemy of God) charges.

Updated Jan 31

Trump threatens military strike as Iran protests turn deadly

Force in Play

Foreign Minister of Iran - Declared Iran ready for war or dialogue with U.S.

Iran's judiciary chief announced January 14 that detained protesters face fast-track trials and executions despite Trump's warning of "very strong action," as the death toll reached at least 2,571 according to Human Rights Activists News Agency—quadrupling in just two days and exceeding any crackdown since the 1979 revolution. Erfan Soltani, 26, became the first protester sentenced to death after a four-day proceeding without legal representation, though his execution was postponed amid international outcry. The U.S. began evacuating hundreds of troops from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar—home to 10,000 personnel and Central Command's forward headquarters—positioning them out of range should Trump's threatened strikes trigger Iranian missile retaliation.

Updated Jan 14

Lebanon's gamble: disarming Hezbollah after decades of failure

Force in Play

Foreign Minister of Iran - Visited Lebanon January 8, 2026 to discuss Hezbollah and bilateral relations

Lebanon's army says it now controls the south—except for five hilltops Israel refuses to give up. On January 8, 2026, the military announced it had completed phase one of disarming Hezbollah and other militias south of the Litani River, bringing weapons under state control for the first time in 40 years. Over 9,000 soldiers swept the war-battered region, clearing unexploded ordnance and tunnels left from the devastating 2024 war that killed 4,000 people and displaced 1.3 million. Hours later, Iran's foreign minister arrived in Beirut for tense talks, and the next day Israel resumed strikes across southern Lebanon—business as usual despite the milestone announcement.

Updated Jan 10