Iran Expert Yehuda Yaakov, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meets with faculty at The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs to discuss "Iran Nuclear Ambitions & Political Unrest".

Mr. Yaakov is responsible for special projects in the strategic affairs division of the Israeli foreign ministry. Previous assignments have included department director for the non-proliferation and counter-terrorism desk and consul for media and public affairs in New York.

**Yehuda Yaakov Biography**

Yehuda Yaakov is currently responsible for special projects in the strategic affairs division of the foreign ministry, after having spent the previous year at the Israeli defense college completing his masters thesis on the subject: "The implementation of Coercive Diplomacy in the International Nuclear Crisis with Iran, 2003-2004."

From 2004-2007 Mr. Yaakov served as department director for non-proliferation and counterterrorism in the strategic affairs division, after establishing and running the counterterrorism desk between 2001 and 2004. Beforehand, Mr. Yaakov was posted from 1997-2001 at the consulate general in New York where he served as consul for media and public affairs. Between 1995 and 1997 Mr. Yaakov served as an adviser in the disarmament affairs division, a position he took up after being posted in the embassy in Wellington, New Zealand as deputy ambassador from 1992-1995.

In addition to his diplomatic activities, from 2002-2005 Mr. Yaakov ran at Bar-Ilan University a MA-level seminar course he devised on the symbiotic relationship between the media and peace negotiators.

Mr. Yaakov was born and raised in New York City, received his BA in international relations and journalism from Syracuse University, and worked as a reporter inter alia for the associated press. He is married to Ofra, a native Israeli of Iraqi origin, and they have two lovely daughters: Yifa - who recently completed her IDF service - and Yaara, who will join the army later this year.