{"record":{"aliases":["Motaz Mounir Zahran","معتز زهران"],"appointmentIds":["egypt-2d2cc289869ebb"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":[],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/motaz-zahran-71f5b5faef/","countrySlug":"egypt","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/motaz-zahran-71f5b5faef/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Motaz Zahran studied law at Mohammed V University in Rabat and practised in Cairo before joining Egypt’s foreign service. His work included postings in New Delhi and Washington, disarmament diplomacy, the ambassadorship in Canada, and leadership of the foreign minister’s cabinet. During his earlier Washington posting, he handled political and congressional affairs and also served in an acting capacity.","Zahran returned as ambassador in September 2020. In an account of his first months, he described reaching out to congressional leaders and to both supporters and critics of Egypt in academic circles during the pandemic and the American presidential transition. He attended the Abraham Accords signing shortly after arriving in Washington. His mission ended in 2026, when he gave a farewell interview reflecting on six years in the capital."],"id":"egypt:motaz zahran","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-71f5b5faef77a279f5bb.html","name":"Motaz Zahran","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["zahran-bio"],["diplist2020","zahran2021","zahran-end"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-71f5b5faef77a279f5bb.html","relatedEvents":[],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-29","revision":"a312a1b534618f4d","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-29","date":null,"id":"zahran-bio","locator":"Speaker biography","publisher":"Polaris National Security Foundation","title":"Motaz Zahran","type":"institutional-biography","url":"https://polarisnatsecfoundation.org/speakers/motaz-zahran/"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-29","date":"2020-10","id":"diplist2020","locator":"Egypt, Ambassador Motaz Mounir Zahran","publisher":"U.S. Department of State","title":"Diplomatic List, Fall 2020","type":"diplomatic-list","url":"https://2017-2021.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Fall-2020-Diplomatic-List1.pdf"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-29","date":"2021-02-25","id":"zahran2021","locator":"February 25, 2021, essay by Motaz Zahran","publisher":"Embassy of Egypt in Washington","title":"My First 100 Days as Egypt’s Ambassador to The U.S.","type":"first-person-account","url":"https://egyptembassy.net/ambassador-media/my-first-100-days-as-egypts-ambassador-to-the-u-s/"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-29","date":"2026-09-06","id":"zahran-end","locator":"September 6, 2026; farewell interview by Manal Barakat","publisher":"Akhbar Al-Youm","title":"بعد 6 سنوات في واشنطن.. حوار اللحظات الأخيرة مع السفير معتز زهران","type":"interview","url":"https://akhbarelyom.com/news/newdetails/4874475/1/بعد-6-سنوات-في-واشنطن-حوار-اللحظات-الأخي"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"","id":"mission-504eb22f4afd6672ed50","locator":"Chronological list, 1924–2015","publisher":"","title":"Diplomatic Representation for Egypt, Arab Republic of (formerly United Arab Republic)","type":"Mission record","url":"https://2009-2017.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/93806.htm"}],"topics":["Congress","nuclear diplomacy","Canada"]},"schemaVersion":1}