Mohammad Javad Zarif is an influential Iranian diplomat and academic who has played a significant role in shaping Iran’s foreign policy. Born on January 8, 1960, in Tehran, Iran, Zarif has held various key positions in the Iranian government, including serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2021 under President Hassan Rouhani. His tenure is most notably marked by his leadership in negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, with the P5+1 countries in 2015.
Early Life and Education
Zarif was born into an affluent and religiously devout merchant family. His father was a well-known businessman in Isfahan, and his mother, Efat Kashani, hailed from a prominent business family in Tehran. He received his early education at Alavi School, a private religious institution in Tehran.
Due to the strict environment at home, Zarif was largely shielded from media, such as television and newspapers. However, he was deeply influenced by revolutionary ideas, particularly those of intellectuals like Ali Shariati and Samad Behrangi. At the age of 17, he moved to the United States to further his education. He attended Drew College Preparatory School in San Francisco before enrolling at San Francisco State University, where he earned a B.A. in 1981 and an M.A. in 1982, both in international relations. He later pursued higher studies at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver, earning a second M.A. in 1984 and a Ph.D. in international law and policy in 1988. His dissertation was titled “Self-Defense in International Law and Policy.”