Biography

Ambassador Seyed Hossein Mousavian

Seyed Hossein Mousavian is a Middle East Security and Nuclear Policy Specialist at the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He is a former diplomat who served as Iran’s Ambassador to Germany (1990-1997), Head of the Foreign Relations Committee of Iran’s National Security Council (1997-2005), Spokesman for Iran in its nuclear negotiations with the international community (2003-2005), Foreign Policy Advisor to the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (2005-2007), Vice President of the Center for Strategic Research for International Affairs (2005-2009), General Director of Foreign Ministry for West Europe (1987-1990), Chief of Parliament Administration (1984-1986) and the editor in chief of the English-language international newspaper Tehran Times (1980-1990).

Mousavian is also the author of several publications, including Iran-Europe Relations: Challenges and Opportunities, Additional Protocol and Islamic Republic’s Strategy and Human Rights: Trends and Viewpoints. His book “The Iranian Nuclear Crisis: A Memoir” was published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in June 2012. His latest book, “Iran and the United States: An Insider’s view on the Failed Past and the Road to Peace” was published by Bloomsbury Publishers in May 2014.

Mousavian earned a PhD in international relations from the University of Kent in the U.K. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Tehran and studied his bachelor at the University of California, Sacramento.

Short Biography

Hossein Mousavian is a Middle East Security and Nuclear Policy Specialist at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. From 1997 to 2005, he was the head of the Foreign Relations Committee of Iran’s National Security Council; from 2003 to 2005, he served as spokesman for Iran in its nuclear negotiations with the European Union. He is author of “The Iranian Nuclear Crisis: A Memoir” published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in June 2012.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s praise of Seyed Hossein Mousavian during a March 2016 interview:

“Dr. Mousavian is a former colleague of mine in the foreign ministry. If one wants to pass a fair and just judgement, Mousavian has beautifully and with great effort defended the positions of Iran in Europe, America, and in conferences across the world. On many occasions other foreign ministers who attended regional conferences where I was not present but Mousavian was, have later congratulated me on the way that he defended Iran. I do not believe in past accusations against him.  I worked with Dr. Mousavian closely for years and believe that he is a person who is fully loyal to Iran and serving his country. He has worked hard for this country and continues to do so”.

Video (in Persian)