Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif resigned and left the office of President Masoud Pezeshkian only 11 days after his appointment, DPA reported, BTA reported.
„I am not satisfied with my work and I regret that I failed to fulfill the expectations”, wrote Zarif on the social network “X”. Zarif hinted that the reason for his decision was the selection of ministers for Pezeshkian's new cabinet. According to Zarif, at least seven of the 19 nominated ministers were not his first choice.
Zarif's withdrawal is the second crisis for Pazeshkian since he took power at the end of July. He was the new president's right-hand man during his election campaign. Zarif was key to Pazeshkian's victory because of his popularity.
After the election, Zarif and a group of experts had to draw up a list of candidates for government posts to implement the promised reforms. Yesterday, Pezeshkian presented a list that, according to observers, does not correspond to the plans and promises of reforms. Observers suggest that Iran's hardline conservative faction imposed some ministers on Pezeshkian.
Zarif was also a key figure in the implementation of the new foreign policy line of the newly elected president. Zarif was the country's top diplomat between 2013 and 2021 and managed to seal the international nuclear deal with the six world powers in 2015 as head of Iran's negotiating team. With him and a new team of diplomats, Pezeshkian hopes to resume nuclear negotiations so that the sanctions that paralyze the Iranian economy can be lifted, DPA notes.