Mohammad Javad Zarif is an Iranian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran from 2013 to 2021. He played a key role in negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, which aimed to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Zarif was born on January 7, 1960, in Tehran, Iran. He studied international relations in the United States and has held various diplomatic positions throughout his career, including serving as Iran's ambassador to the United Nations. His tenure as foreign minister was marked by efforts to improve Iran's relations with the international community.