Iran's Raisi Appoints Hardline Anti-Western Foreign Minister... "Hardliners to Lead Nuclear Deal Negotiations"

Nomination of Former Deputy Minister Abdollahian... "Close to Hezbollah"
Hardliners Fully Control Iranian Parliament... Appointment Likely to Proceed Smoothly

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi has appointed Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a hardline official, as foreign minister to oversee diplomacy with the West, including negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action). With the Iranian parliament, already dominated by hardliners, expected to approve his appointment without significant opposition, concerns are rising that Iran will adopt an even tougher stance in the stalled nuclear deal negotiations.

According to foreign media such as the AP on the 11th (local time), President Raisi announced key cabinet appointments and named former Deputy Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian as foreign minister to lead diplomacy with the West. Amir-Abdollahian served as Deputy Foreign Minister during the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hardline figure who came to power in 2005, and is known as a conservative hardliner and anti-Western figure by his own description.

Al Jazeera reported that Amir-Abdollahian maintains close ties not only with members of the Palestinian armed group Hezbollah but also with senior commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Al Jazeera added that his appointment strongly suggests Iran will present even tougher demands in the negotiations to restore the Iran nuclear deal.

Earlier, during his inauguration speech on the 5th, President Raisi emphasized the "swift lifting of U.S. sanctions against Iran" and expressed a focus on improving people's livelihoods, raising the possibility that a moderate or neutral figure might be appointed as foreign minister. However, with the appointment of Amir-Abdollahian, classified as an ultra-hardliner, the prospects for resuming nuclear deal restoration talks have become uncertain.

President Raisi also appointed Ahmad Vahidi, a hardliner and former commander of the Quds Force, the special forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, as interior minister, forming a cabinet dominated by hardliners. Since the hardliners took control of the Iranian parliament after the general election in April, the parliament is unlikely to raise objections to the appointment approval bill, and a hardline cabinet is expected to be established soon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.