Who is Abbas Araghchi, the veteran diplomat leading Iran-US nuclear talks once again?

Top Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi is spearheading a new round of high-level negotiations with the United States, aimed at addressing one of the most pressing geopolitical challenges of the moment: Iran’s nuclear programme.

In the backdrop of simmering regional conflicts, the talks come at a time when tensions between Washington and Tehran are running high, and the threat of military escalation is more pronounced than in recent years.

Who is Seyed Abbas Araghchi?

Born in Tehran in 1962 into a well-off religious merchant family originally from Isfahan, Abbas Araghchi was still a teenager when the 1979 Islamic Revolution swept through Iran.

Inspired by the events that toppled the monarchy, he joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the military organisation created to defend the nascent Islamic Republic.

He later served on the frontlines of the Iran-Iraq War, which lasted from 1980 to 1988.

Araghchi entered the Iranian foreign ministry in 1989, beginning a career that would span ambassadorial assignments in Finland (1999–2003) and Japan (2007–2011), as well as several influential roles in Tehran.

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He was appointed deputy foreign minister in 2013 and later became foreign ministry spokesperson. Fluent in English, he is reportedly known for his calm, composed presence and technical acumen.

His academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree from Iran’s Faculty of International Relations, a master’s degree in political science from Islamic Azad University, and a doctorate in political thought from the University of Kent in the United Kingdom.

Throughout his career, Araghchi has served under various Iranian administrations, regardless of whether their orientations leaned reformist, moderate or hardline.

He has also consistently aligned himself with the core principles of the Islamic Republic while avoiding entanglement in partisan disputes. According to a senior Iranian official speaking to Reteurs, “He has good relations with the supreme leader, the Revolutionary Guards and all political factions in Iran.”

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Architect of the 2015 Nuclear Accord

Araghchi played a pivotal role in negotiating the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers.

The deal placed significant limitations on Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Western diplomats involved in those discussions described Araghchi as “serious, technically knowledgeable and a straightforward diplomat.”

The JCPOA was unilaterally abandoned by the United States in 2018 under President Donald Trump in his first term , who reinstated broad economic sanctions against Iran.

This move triggered a rapid acceleration of Iran’s nuclear activities, including enrichment of uranium to 60 per cent, a level approaching weapons-grade material. The collapse of the agreement also marked a shift in diplomatic momentum, with indirect efforts to revive it during US President Joe Biden’s term yielding no resolution.

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Araghchi was involved in those indirect talks as well, but was later replaced by a more hardline diplomat. Still, his influence endured. He was appointed Secretary of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, a powerful advisory body reporting directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

His comeback to frontline diplomacy followed the election of President Masoud Pezeshkian in July, who pledged to re-engage with the West and explore diplomatic avenues.

Araghchi was subsequently named Iran’s foreign minister. As Tehran prepares for the upcoming talks in Oman, he leads the Iranian delegation with full authorisation from the Supreme Leader.

“Iraqchi is the right person in the right position at the right time,” said Iranian analyst and political insider Saeed Leylaz. “He is one of the most powerful foreign ministers in the Islamic Republic’s history, with full authority from the supreme leader and a deep knowledge about all aspects of the nuclear issue.”

A negotiator backed by authority and trust

Araghchi’s record of avoiding factionalism has been noted by both colleagues and observers. “He has kept himself distant from political frays and infighting,” said a senior Iranian official. This nonpartisan approach may offer Tehran greater flexibility in negotiations while insulating Araghchi from criticism if compromises are made.

In a recent interview with Khabar Online, Araghchi acknowledged the limitations of the 2015 JCPOA in today’s context. “Our nuclear programme has advanced significantly and we can no longer return to the conditions of the JCPOA,” he said. However, he stated that the agreement “can still be a basis and a model for negotiations.”

At 62, Araghchi has become synonymous with Iran’s nuclear diplomacy. Araghchi is a father to two sons and a daughter from his first marriage, and has another daughter from his second marriage. While known for his professionalism, his personal life has largely remained out of the public eye.

Will the Oman talks come through?

The upcoming round of talks will be held in Oman, a country that has historically played host to backchannel diplomacy between Tehran and Washington. While the US side claims the negotiations will be direct, Tehran insists they will remain indirect .

Araghchi will face off with Steve Witkoff , a Trump-appointed envoy and real estate executive with no previous diplomatic experience.

An Iranian official familiar with the matter told Reuters, “The duration of the talks, that will only be about the nuclear issue, will depend on the US side’s seriousness and goodwill.”

The talks come at a critical moment. Since 2023, the Middle East has witnessed significant upheaval: wars in Gaza and Lebanon, Iranian missile exchanges with Israel, Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria.

Tehran’s influence in the region has diminished significantly, with its long-standing allies — collectively known as the “Axis of Resistance” — either severely weakened or dismantled. The alliance includes Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and various Shi’ite militias in Iraq and Syria.

US President Donald Trump, now back in office, has threatened that Iran would face "great danger" if a new agreement is not reached. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”

His administration has revived its “maximum pressure” strategy, while reiterating that diplomacy remains the preferred path.

Iran, for its part, has warned US allies in the Gulf that any military action against it would bring “severe consequences.”

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented , “We’ve been very clear what Iran is never going to have a nuclear weapon, and I think that’s what led to this meeting.”

Despite mutual suspicion, Iran has signalled cautious openness to talks. In an official response to recent US rhetoric, Tehran stated it was offering Washington a “genuine chance” while criticising the “prevailing confrontational hoopla” coming from the American side.

The talks in Oman could mark a new chapter — or yet another dead end — in Iran’s long-standing standoff with the West.

With inputs from agencies