Zarif was born in Tehran around 1960, although other sources have given the year of birth as 1959 and 1961. According to See more

Zarif served as Iran's representative at the United Nations from 2002 to 2007. He was closely linked with developing the so-called "Grand … See more

On 23 July 2013, it was reported that Zarif was Rouhani's choice for minister of foreign affairs. This was not confirmed by the president-elect's … See more

Zarif is married and has a daughter who is an interior decorator and a son who is a marketing consultant, both of whom were born in the United States. He met his wife in summer 1979 … See more

In May 1982 – , four years after the Iranian Revolution, Zarif was appointed a member of the Iranian delegation to the United Nations largely due to his English-speaking ability and relationships in America, rather than formal diplomatic training. As a junior … See more

Zarif supported the candidacy of reformist Masoud Pezeshkian in the 2024 Iranian presidential election. Following Pezeshkian's victory, Zarif was tasked creating the committees to select ministers for Pezeshkian’s cabinet. In August 2024, he was appointed … See more

Zarif gained domestic popularity in Iran. His "Never threaten an Iranian!" remark, during the heated nuclear negotiations, gained attention from … See more