Iran FM candidate says will uphold worldview of IRGC service years
3 Min Read
Abbas Araqchi underscores the importance of implementing the parliamentary law on "strategic action" for lifting sanctions and protecting national interests.
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Iran’s then deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi, right, speaks in a press briefing in Tehran, Iran, on July 7, 2019 (AP)
A senior Iranian lawmaker said on Monday that Abbas Araqchi, who has been nominated by Iranian President Masoud Pezekshain for the role of the country's foreign minister, has reiterated his commitment to the objectives he championed during his earlier service with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
Ebrahim Rezaee, the spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, gave the comments to Tasnim news agency following the commission's meeting with Araqchi earlier today.
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A vote of confidence is expected to be held by Parliament in the next few days, during which Araqchi is expected to be assigned to become Iran's top diplomat.
Rezaee informed the agency that during today's session, Araqchi emphasized that his current perspective remains aligned with the views he held during his years of service in the IRGC, and distanced himself from the “band of New Yorkers".
The nominated foreign minister has also underscored the importance of implementing the parliamentary law on "strategic action" for lifting sanctions and protecting national interests, emphasizing his commitment to adhering to this law in any future negotiations with foreign entities, the MP said.
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In a recent statement, Araqchi has identified three primary objectives for Iran's foreign policy, underscoring the importance of fulfilling national interests, bolstering national security and power, and maintaining and enhancing the country's dignity and international standing.
Araqchi, now 61, served as a deputy foreign minister during the tenure of former President Hassan Rouhani. His tenure was marked by significant diplomatic efforts, most notably his pivotal role in the negotiations leading to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015.
Before his diplomatic career, he was a member of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) during the Iraqi war imposed on Iran in the 1980s.
President Pezeshkian presented on Sunday his new cabinet line-up through a letter to the Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, marking the legislative body's review of the proposed ministers' qualifications.
The proposed ministers are due to be discussed during the plenary sessions as of August 17.
