Iran's New Cabinet: Ex-Nuclear Negotiator, Female Minister Nominated

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has nominated career diplomat and former nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi as the country's new foreign minister.

Presenting his new cabinet, he also nominated Farzaneh Sadegh as the roads and housing minister. If confirmed, Sadegh would become Iran's first female minister in over a decade.

Sadegh, 47, currently serves as a director in the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development. However, her confirmation remains uncertain due to strong opposition from hardline politicians who favor stricter cultural and social restrictions on women.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the only female minister approved by parliament was Marzieh Vahid Dastgerdi, who served as health minister in 2009 under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Although Iranian presidents have appointed women to vice-presidential roles - which do not require parliamentary approval - Pezeshkian's nomination of Sadegh signals a potential shift in gender representation within Iran's cabinet.

The list of proposed ministers was presented to parliament by Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday. 

The parliament has two weeks to review the candidates' qualifications and vote on their approval.

Abbas Araghchi, 61, a seasoned diplomat, was part of the team that negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal, which aimed to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. 

The deal was disrupted in 2018 when then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement, imposing new sanctions on Iran.

During his campaign, President Pezeshkian pledged to work towards reviving the nuclear accord.

In another significant appointment, General Aziz Nasirzadeh, an F-14 Tomcat pilot and former head of the Iranian Air Force (2018-2021), was named the defense minister. 

Pezeshkian has also put forward Eskandar Momeni, a police general, as the interior minister, a position that oversees the enforcement of the country's strict hijab laws. 

The nomination comes in the wake of widespread protests following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for wearing the hijab improperly.

Pezeshkian has previously criticized the harsh enforcement of hijab laws, indicating he may seek a more lenient approach.

However, Pezeshkian's proposals will likely face resistance from the hardline-majority parliament, which largely backed other candidates in the recent presidential election.

In addition to these appointments, Pezeshkian has named Mohsen Paknejad as the oil minister while retaining current intelligence minister Ismail Khatib and justice minister Amin Hossein Rahimi. 

Abbas Aliabadi, the current industries minister, has been nominated as the energy minister. 

On Saturday, Pezeshkian also reappointed Mohammad Eslami as the head of Iran's civilian nuclear program, which is one of several vice-presidential roles.