Araqchi Aligns Himself with IRGC Ahead of Confidence Vote
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Abbas Araqchi, who has been proposed by the Iranian president for the position of foreign minister, has expressed commitment to the goals he pursued when he served in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) years ago, a lawmaker said.
Speaking to Tasnim, the spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy commission gave details of a meeting the commission has held with Araqchi on Monday morning.
Araqchi is going to take the helm at the Foreign Ministry once he wins a vote of confidence from the Parliament in the coming days.
Ebrahim Rezaee told Tasnim that Araqchi has made clear in today’s session that his current world view mirrors that of the opinions he held when he served in the IRGC years ago.
The proposed foreign minister has also distanced himself from the “band of New Yorkers”, the MP said.
Rezaee added that Araqchi has also stressed the need to carry out the parliamentary law on “strategic action” for lifting of the sanctions and safeguarding national interests and abide by it when it comes to negotiations with the foreigners.
Araqchi has defined three main missions in the foreign policy sector, urging efforts to fulfill the national interests, strengthen national security and power, and maintain and promote the country’s dignity and position, the MP added.
Araqchi, 61, was a deputy foreign minister in the administration of former President Hassan Rouhani.
He played a leading role in the negotiations that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015.
Araqchi was an IRGC serviceman during the Iraqi imposed war against Iran in the 1980s before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.