Iran Foreign Minister Zarif announces resignation

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was the lead negotiator in the 2015 nuclear deal, announced his resignation yesterday. President Hassan Rouhani has not accepted the resignation so far. 

 

Zarif, 59, has served as foreign minister since August 2013 and has been under constant pressure and criticism



by hardliners who opposed his policy of detente with the west. His reputation in Iran's political establishment took a hit when the US withdrew from the nuclear deal in May 2018. Zarif was blamed by ultra-conservatives for negotiating a bad deal that had not gained anything meaningful for Iran.