In a bid to signal a potential shift in Iran's foreign policy and promote gender representation in the government, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has presented his new cabinet, nominating a moderate diplomat as the foreign minister and a female official as the urban development minister. The nominations come shortly after Pezeshkian's election last month, following the unfortunate demise of the hardline Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

During an assembly session broadcasted live on state television, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf revealed the names of the 19-member cabinet put forward by President Pezeshkian. The appointments align with the hopes that Iran's relations with the West could potentially be improved under the new leadership.

For the crucial role of foreign minister, Pezeshkian has chosen Abbas Araghchi, a 61-year-old career diplomat who has advocated for open and critical talks with Western powers. Araghchi served as the chief negotiator in the nuclear talks between Tehran and world powers from 2013 to 2021. He brings valuable experience as Iran's former ambassador to Japan and Finland, as well as his previous role as Deputy Foreign Minister under Mohammad Javad Zarif, a key figure in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

In another significant development, Farzaneh Sadegh has been nominated as the minister of roads and urban development. If confirmed, Sadegh, 48, will become only the second Iranian woman to hold a ministerial post since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi previously served as the health minister in 2009. This nomination marks a significant step towards gender equality in Iranian politics and reflects President Pezeshkian's commitment to social progress.

The appointment of the new cabinet comes at a time when the international community eagerly awaits Iran's response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran has vehemently accused Israel of carrying out the killing and has pledged severe retaliation. Global leaders have urged Iran to exercise restraint, emphasizing that military action could escalate the conflict in Gaza into a wider regional crisis. President Pezeshkian, who campaigned on improving ties with the world and easing social restrictions domestically, is believed to be concerned that a major military confrontation with Israel would jeopardize his key objectives.

Included in the cabinet nominations is General Aziz Nasirzadeh, the former commander of the Iranian Air Force, who has been proposed as the defense minister. Additionally, General Eskandar Momeni, a 60-year-old police commander and a relatively moderate former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been named as the interior minister. Meanwhile, Mohsen Paknezhad, a 58-year-old executive director with a long-standing career in the country's energy industry, has been tapped to serve as the oil minister.

It is worth noting that President Pezeshkian had previously announced his intention to consult and coordinate with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to finalize the list of ministers. Khamenei holds ultimate authority in all matters of state.

As Iran's new cabinet takes shape, the world watches with anticipation as President Pezeshkian's administration reforms its foreign policy approach and pushes for progress in domestic affairs, with a strong emphasis on gender representation in key government positions.