©(ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Iranian media has confirmed that Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian died on Monday morning following a helicopter crash in a mountainous region of north-west Iran.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, born in 1964, grew up in one of Tehran's poorest neighborhoods. In 1980, he volunteered to serve in the Iran-Iraq War, in what he called a transformational experience that led him to pursue a career in the Foreign Ministry.
Amir-Abdollahian was considered a hardliner who clashed with his more moderate predecessor, Mohammed Javad Zarif, culminating in Abdollahian's abrupt dismissal from the ministry in 2016.
Amir-Abdollahian's close links to Qassam Soleimeni and the Quds Force shaped his foreign policy approach. He adopted the position that Iranian military capacity and regional influence strengthened Iran's overall diplomatic position. He claimed that American willingness to negotiate the JCPOA resulted from Iran's capabilities on the ground and influence in the Middle East.
Amir-Abdollahian also ushered in Iran's “Look to the East” policy, calling it the most important axis of the new government’s foreign policy, which aimed to prioritize Iran’s relations with China and Russia. He played a major role in drafting what he termed a "historic" 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Under Amir-Abdollahian, Iran has sent crucial military equipment, most notably Shahed drones, to Russia, which has been vital for sustaining Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In 2023, Amir Abdollahian was involved in fostering a landmark Chinese-mediated agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia that saw the long-standing rivals agree to resume diplomatic relations.
Many hoped that this could lead to a broader regional settlement. However, this hope was quashed following the October 7 attack.
Amir-Abdollahian has played a central, high-profile role in Iran's response to the conflict.
Amir-Abdollahian warned at the United Nations on October 26 that if Israel's retaliation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip doesn't end, then the United States will "not be spared from this fire."
In February, he met with Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar, as well as Hassan Nasrallah and the senior leadership of Hezbollah days later in Lebanon.
Following Israel's strike on an Iranian consulate building in Damascus, which escalated with Iran's unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, Amir-Abdollahian spoke to the UN Secretary General, telling him that regional security was a priority for Iran and that they only sought to target those military sites involved in targeting IRGC commanders in Syria.
With AFP
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, born in 1964, grew up in one of Tehran's poorest neighborhoods. In 1980, he volunteered to serve in the Iran-Iraq War, in what he called a transformational experience that led him to pursue a career in the Foreign Ministry.
Amir-Abdollahian was considered a hardliner who clashed with his more moderate predecessor, Mohammed Javad Zarif, culminating in Abdollahian's abrupt dismissal from the ministry in 2016.
Amir-Abdollahian's close links to Qassam Soleimeni and the Quds Force shaped his foreign policy approach. He adopted the position that Iranian military capacity and regional influence strengthened Iran's overall diplomatic position. He claimed that American willingness to negotiate the JCPOA resulted from Iran's capabilities on the ground and influence in the Middle East.
Amir-Abdollahian also ushered in Iran's “Look to the East” policy, calling it the most important axis of the new government’s foreign policy, which aimed to prioritize Iran’s relations with China and Russia. He played a major role in drafting what he termed a "historic" 25-year cooperation agreement between Iran and China.
Under Amir-Abdollahian, Iran has sent crucial military equipment, most notably Shahed drones, to Russia, which has been vital for sustaining Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In 2023, Amir Abdollahian was involved in fostering a landmark Chinese-mediated agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia that saw the long-standing rivals agree to resume diplomatic relations.
Many hoped that this could lead to a broader regional settlement. However, this hope was quashed following the October 7 attack.
Amir-Abdollahian has played a central, high-profile role in Iran's response to the conflict.
Amir-Abdollahian warned at the United Nations on October 26 that if Israel's retaliation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip doesn't end, then the United States will "not be spared from this fire."
In February, he met with Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar, as well as Hassan Nasrallah and the senior leadership of Hezbollah days later in Lebanon.
Following Israel's strike on an Iranian consulate building in Damascus, which escalated with Iran's unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, Amir-Abdollahian spoke to the UN Secretary General, telling him that regional security was a priority for Iran and that they only sought to target those military sites involved in targeting IRGC commanders in Syria.
With AFP
Read more
Comments