Iran’s ex-nuclear envoy appointed to Khamenei advisory council

Ali Bagheri-Kani, Iran's former top diplomat and chief nuclear negotiator, has been appointed as the new secretary of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations (SCFR), a body that advises the Supreme Leader on foreign policy.

Bagheri-Kani, considered a protégé of hardline politician Saeed Jalili, served less than three years in the foreign ministry until the new administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian took over in August.

The SCFR, established in 2006 by order of the Supreme Leader, has all its members directly appointed by Ali Khamenei. On Saturday, Kamal Kharrazi, a senior foreign policy advisor to Khamenei and chair of the SCFR, hosted a ceremony to bid farewell to Abbas Araghchi, the outgoing secretary who left the position to become Iran's foreign minister, and welcome Bagheri-Kani as his successor.

Araghchi was also a nuclear negotiator in President Hassan Rouhani administration until August 2021, when hardliner Ebrahim Raisi assumed office and changed top foreign ministry officials.

Jalili attended Saturday’s ceremony and appeared next to Bagheri-Kani in a group photo, sparking interest due to their close association. Bagheri-Kani is widely recognized as an ally of Jalili, having followed his negotiation strategies while serving as the chief nuclear negotiator under President Raisi. However, those strategies were largely seen as unsuccessful, as they failed to result in any substantial agreements with the West.

Jalili, who lost the 2024 presidential election to Masoud Pezeshkian, has long been a staunch opponent of any compromise with the West on the nuclear issue. He remains an influential figure among Iran’s hardliners, who were critical of the previous administration under Hassan Rouhani, particularly regarding the JCPOA nuclear deal with world powers.

Although the SCFR is generally seen as a ceremonial body where Khamenei appoints former officials to keep them engaged, it still holds some influence. Kharrazi, the council's president, continues to be a key foreign policy advisor to Khamenei. Bagheri-Kani’s appointment raises concerns that Jalili’s allies might use the SCFR to exert more influence over Iran’s foreign policy.