Nateq Nouri’s international activities reflected his status as one of the Islamic Republic’s most senior officials. He was the first head of one of Iran’s three main branches of government to travel to Europe after the revolution. Despite ongoing tensions between Tehran and European capitals, Nouri’s visits to Italy, Austria, and Croatia were seen as a diplomatic breakthrough.
He developed personal relationships with several European leaders, including Luciano Violante, Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies; Heinz Fischer, Speaker of the Austrian Parliament (later President of Austria); and Stjepan Mesić, Speaker of the Croatian Parliament (later President of Croatia). These relationships helped to normalize Iran’s image in Europe during the mid-1990s.
Nouri also oversaw military and economic negotiations with Ukraine and Russia during Boris Yeltsin’s presidency, which included agreements on military hardware and reconstruction assistance. Furthermore, he played a behind-the-scenes role in mediating between Croats and Bosnian Muslims during the Bosnian War (1992–1995), representing Iran’s diplomatic outreach to the Balkans.
