Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, a key architect of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal, reportedly tendered his resignation on Monday from the government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, caving in to pressure from hard-liners. The move signals Tehran’s rapid retreat from its outreach to the West as US President Donald Trump intensifies sanctions under a renewed “maximum pressure” campaign.
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Zarif, who has long been a target of conservative factions and previously attempted to resign without success, submitted his resignation late Sunday to Pezeshkian, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. This development follows Iran’s parliament impeaching Finance Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati—a blow that underscored mounting internal dissent amid a worsening economic crisis, with the rial plummeting dramatically.
In a social media post, Zarif recounted a meeting with Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, who advised him to return to academia to ease pressure on the government. Zarif’s situation is further complicated by his family ties abroad; his children, born in the US, have long been cited by hard-liners to question his loyalty.