Minister who smiled his way to historic deal

It is hard to picture Iran’s nuclear talks with world powers without the beaming face of foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who, in reaching a deal, has shown the power of what Iranians call ‘smile diplomacy’.

The 55-year old career diplomat led Iran’s negotiating team in concluding a deal with world powers in Vienna yesterday after almost two years of negotiations, to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief after decades of tensions with the West.

However, Zarif, who has spent long spells studying or working in the US, needed the support of President Hassan Rouhani, and the cautious backing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, to protect him from domestic opponents whose distrust of the West has characterised Iranian policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.