From 1979 to 1982, Tabatabai worked in various government offices, first as deputy interior minister and government spokesman. From November 1979 to September 1980 he served as Secretary of State in the Prime Minister's office. On 21 March 1980, Tabatabai met Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, to discuss a possible ending of the hostage crisis in Tehran in Bonn in 1980. The conversation remained without concrete results. Tabatabai remained in touch with the German government and informed German authorities of the state of discussions in government and in parliament.
