Hossein Amir-Abdollahian: Iran's Foreign Minister, Who Died In The Aircraft Crash With Ebrahim Raisi

The 60-year-old Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was the top diplomat who died in the helicopter crash along with President Raisi and 7 others. Here are the key facts about the deceased foreign minister of Iran.

• Amirabdollahian has been serving in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1997 and was nominated as foreign minister by President Raisi in 2021.
• He obtained a Bachelor”s degree in Diplomatic Relations and a Master”s degree in International Relations from the University of Tehran. In 2010, Hossein Amirabdollahian earned a doctorate in international relations from the University of Tehran.
• Hossein Amirabdollahian helped Iran restore diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia under a Chinese-brokered agreement in 2023 after later severing ties in 2016.
• The top Iranian diplomat has helped Iran to shift its foreign policy from engagement with the West to improving relations with the neighboring countries in West Asia (Middle East), especially with the Arab countries across the Gulf.
• After being associated with the foreign ministry Hossein Amirabdollahian, is said to have developed good relations with IRGC chief Qasem Soleimani who died in 2020 of the US air strike. He used to refer to himself as Soleimani”s soldier.
• Hossein Amirabdollahian became a staunch supporter of the “Axis of Resistance” with Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthi in Yemen and various Shi”ite armed groups in Iraq and Syria.
• In April 2024, when Israel attacked Iran”s embassy in Damascus Hossein Amirabdollahian called it a violation of international laws and asked for stern actions and accountability against Israel.
• Iran”s late Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian is said to be a hardliner who oversaw indirect talks with the US over the country”s nuclear program and reached the nuclear deal under president Hassan Rouhani in 2015. He represented the hardline shift in Iran”s nuclear program following the collapse of Iran”s nuclear deas with the world powers after then-US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the deal.
• Hossein Amirabdollahian has been a consistent supporter of the government”s policies even during the mass protest in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman detained by Iran”s morality police.
• Hossein Amirabdollahian had been a constant supporter of the Palestinian cause and met with Hamas politburo leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar twice. He issued repeated statements accusing Israel of warmongering.
• Iran”s foreign minister also oversaw Iran”s response to a brief exchange of airstrikes with Pakistan and worked on a diplomatic front with the Taliban in Afghanistan.