IRGC Ally Amir-Abdollahian Appointed As Foreign Minister

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Arab and African Affairs, has been nominated by new President Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's next foreign minister according to wires and social media.

• Amir-Abdollahian is seen as a close ally to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)'s expeditionary Quds Force, a group with major influence over Iranian foreign policy that is seen as a staunch opponent of any rapprochement with the West. He was removed from his position at the foreign ministry by outgoing Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (a moderate) in 2016.
• Kian Sharifi at the BBC tweets a thread on Amir-Abdollahian, excerpts below:
  • "A conservative favourite and close to the IRGC, his nomination is expected to face little, if any, opposition in the parliament. Amir-Abdollahian served as deputy foreign minister for Arab affairs under Zarif, who was criticised by conservatives for replacing him in 2016. He landed on his feet very quickly & was made special aide to then-parliament speaker Larijani. He's retained his post under Qalibaf."
  • "In 2007, he was involved in the first open round of talks with the US since the 1979 revolution. In 2018, he said negotiating with the US "has never been taboo" but the problem, he insisted, was America's "bullying behaviour".It's unclear how involved he will be in talks to revive the JCPOA. Some say the Supreme Nat Sec Council will be running point, not the ministry."
  • "Amir-Abdollahian is so close to the establishment that he even writes for Supreme Leader Khamenei's website. Last year, he wrote that Iran benefits from strengthening ties with Russia and said Tehran should "prioritise the East over the West". Amir-Abdollahian was also very close to Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the IRGC Quds Force who was killed in a US drone strike in January 2020."