Tariq Aziz: a political life in pictures

Amman, Jordan, 1980: Aziz seated behind Saddam Hussein at the Arab Summit Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

Washington DC, 1984: Aziz meets the US president, Ronald Reagan, and the vice-president, George Bush. The meetings concerned the war between Iraq and Iran Photograph: Jean Louis Atlan/Sygma/Corbis

Moscow, USSR, 1985: Saddam Hussein and Aziz face the head of the Communist party, Mikhail Gorbachev, and his foreign minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, during their visit to Soviet Union Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Amman, Jordan, 1990: Following Iraq's occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, journalists from the world media attend a press conference held by Aziz, the deputy prime minister of Iraq Photograph: Dario Mitidieri/Getty Images

New York, 1992: Aziz listens to a translated speech at the United Nations Photograph: Najlah Feanny-Hicks/Corbis

New York, 1994: Aziz, now the Iraqi foreign minister, smokes a cigar during a UN Security Council meeting Photograph: John Levy/AFP/Getty Images

Baghdad, 2002: Aziz addresses a group of British journalists, members of parliament and a Canadian opposition minister during a visit to Baghdad organised by British Labour MP George Galloway (on left) Photograph: Rex Features

Vatican, 2003: Aziz with Pope John Paul II Photograph: Mimmo Chianura/Rex Features

Baghdad, 24 March 2003: Aziz leaves a press conference after sending a defiant message to the coalition forces just days after the invasion of Iraq
Photograph: Sean Smith for the Guardian

A playing card depicting Aziz as the eight of spades Photograph: Getty Images

Baghdad, 2004: Aziz appears in a courtroom at Camp Victory, Saddam's former palace Photograph: Karen Ballard/AP

Baghdad, 2006: Aziz testifies for the defence during Saddam's trial held in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone Photograph: Marco Di Lauro/AFP/Getty Images

Baghdad, 5 Spetember 2010: Aziz speaks to the Associated Press Photograph: Hadi Mizban/AP