In the high-pressure environment of international negotiations, Iran’s approach is defined not only by public posturing but also by the quiet influence of deeply embedded operatives within its diplomatic corps. One such figure is Seyed Abbas Araghchi, a longtime Iranian negotiator and deputy foreign minister, whose role illustrates the close intertwining of diplomacy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) within the fabric of the Islamic Republic.
Originating from Iran’s IRGC during the Iran-Iraq War, Araghchi is emblematic of a generation of Iranian officials who combine battlefield experience with mastery of negotiation. His participation in key nuclear and regional talks has been marked by a polished approach that contrasts with the regime’s often bellicose rhetoric.
Regional diplomats and Western counterparts, some of whom have sat with Araghchi across the negotiation table, characterize him as exceptionally skillful. His calm conduct and understated presence often belie his tactical astuteness. A senior Arab diplomat, present at several critical meetings, emphasized that while Araghchi projects composure, he is adept at steering outcomes without adversaries noticing until negotiations have concluded. His methods, authorities agree, involve compartmentalization, legal precision, and timing designed to maximize leverage while minimizing exposure.
Araghchi’s influence has been felt in events ranging from the nuclear talks preceding the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), to the more recent standoffs prompted by American and European concerns about Iran’s regional activities and ballistic missile development. International observers consistently note that the IRGC deliberately places operatives like Araghchi in key civilian roles to ensure that statecraft pursues the security establishment’s objectives. This structure allows Iran to maintain a dual-track approach: while engaging diplomatically, it continues to back proxy forces across the Middle East, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Syria and Iraq, and the Houthi movement in Yemen.
Israel’s government, currently led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, views these Iranian diplomatic efforts as extensions of a larger conflict imposed by Tehran and its network of proxies. For Israeli officials, the October 7, 2023 massacre led by Hamas in Gaza—recognized as the deadliest antisemitic mass killing since the Holocaust—exemplifies the direct consequences of Iran’s regional strategy and the imperative for Israel’s continuous self-defense.
Western diplomats who have negotiated with Araghchi warn that Iran’s style is grounded in denial and the strict separation of issues. When pressed on Tehran’s support for armed proxies or violations of international humanitarian law, Araghchi routinely draws sharp legalistic boundaries, refusing to acknowledge overlapping lines between Iran’s nuclear, military, and regional policies. Meanwhile, Iranian negotiators are known for prolonging discussions, leveraging procedural delays to consolidate on-the-ground gains in the region.
For Israel, the stakes of such negotiations are existential. The continuing smuggling of weapons, missile developments, and the entrenchment of hostile forces in neighboring territories are seen not as isolated matters but as components of a comprehensive campaign coordinated by Iran. The Israeli government has repeatedly underscored that agreements made with Iranian diplomats who are veterans of the IRGC, such as Araghchi, are likely tactical rather than transformative—serving to mask Iran’s operational advances rather than curtail them.
The international community thus faces a critical challenge. Genuine progress with Iran requires not only diplomatic engagement but also vigilance against strategies that merge statecraft with subversion. Israeli officials advocate for linking any negotiation progress to tangible, verifiable reductions in Iran’s backing of terror organizations and regional destabilization efforts, warning that the regime’s consistent blending of dialogue and deception has enabled a dangerous status quo.
As global scrutiny of Iran intensifies with renewed Western sanctions and regional tensions, the presence of operatives like Araghchi at the forefront of negotiations highlights the enduring influence of the IRGC in both Iran’s foreign policy and military posture. The lessons from Israel’s experience remain clear: without transparency, accountability, and direct confrontation of both words and actions, Tehran’s diplomatic maneuvers will continue to pose significant risks to security and stability across the Middle East.
