Ali Larijani
From dKosopedia
Dr. Ali Ardashir Larijani علی اردشیر لاریجانی is the chief nuclear negotiator for Iran. An Iranian politician born in 1958 in Najaf, Iraq, Larijani has served as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) since August 14, 2005, succeeding Hassan Rowhani. He is one of the two representatives of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, on the council. As such he effectively functions as the top negotiator on issues of national security, including Iran's nuclear program.
Background
Larijani was a presidential candidate in the 2005 Iranian presidential election. His support came from the Islamic Society of Engineers. He came in sixth with only 5.94% of the vote. He is also a former president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Before that he served as the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance under President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani following Mohammad Khatami's resignation from that cabinet position. In the 1980s, Ali Larijani was acting chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Larijani holds a Ph.D. and Masters degree in western philosophy from Tehran University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Mathematics from Sharif University.