Ali Akbar Salehi ( Persian : علی‌اکبر صالحی , Persian pronunciation ⓘ ; born 24 March 1949) is an Iranian academic, diplomat and former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran , who served in this position from 2009 to 2010 and also from 2013 to 2021. He served for the first time as head of the AEOI from 2009 to 2010 and was appointed to the post for a second time on 16 August 2013. Before the appointment of his latter position, he was foreign affairs minister from 2010 to 2013. He was also the Iranian representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1998 to 2003.