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Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad was appointed by Secretary Pompeo as Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation on September 21, 2018. Previously, Ambassador Khalilzad served as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations 2007-2009, Ambassador to Iraq 2005-2007, and Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2003 to 2005.

Prior to that, Amb. Khalilzad served as Special Presidential Envoy to Afghanistan, and prior to that Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Southwest Asia, Near East, and North African Affairs at the National Security Council.

Between 1993 and 1999, Amb. Khalilzad was Director of the Strategy, Doctrine, and Force Structure program for RAND's Project Air Force. While with RAND, he founded the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Between 1991 and 1992, Amb. Khalilzad served as Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Planning. He also served as a senior political scientist at RAND and an associate professor at the University of California San Diego in 1989 and 1991. From 1985 to 1989 at the Department of State, Amb. Khalilzad was a member of the Policy Planning Staff and served as Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs working on policy issues, advising on the Iran-Iraq war and the Soviet War in Afghanistan. From 1979 to 1986, Amb. Khalilzad was an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University.

Amb. Khalilzad received his bachelor's and master's degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He went on to earn a PhD from the University of Chicago.