Political Developments in Iran: Former Foreign Minister Zarif Resigns from His Position
Former Iranian Foreign Minister and President Masoud Pezeshkian’s Assistant for Strategic Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, announced on his social media account that he is resigning from his post. Zarif stated that he will continue his academic studies. In his post, he emphasized that he was not satisfied with the 19-person cabinet list that President Pezeshkian presented to the parliament, and stated that it was impossible to fulfill the promises he made during the campaign under the current conditions.
Zarif, who stated that his own suggestions and the sensitivities of the people were not sufficiently taken into account in the cabinet list, made the following statements: “Pezeshkian presented the names of the ministers of the 14th term government to the parliament. I wish them all success. However, I am not satisfied with the result of my work and I regret that I could not properly arrange the expert opinion of the committees and the presence of women, youth and ethnic groups as I promised. This was our first experience and of course I hope it will be better in the future. I apologize to the Iranian people for not being able to follow the developments in domestic politics sufficiently.”
Former Minister Zarif
Known as the “smiling diplomat” in Iran, Zarif served as Foreign Minister between 2013 and 2021 and emerged as the architect of the nuclear agreement signed between the US and the 5+1 countries in 2015. Known for his stance on improving relations with the West, lifting sanctions and being in favor of negotiations, Zarif’s presence in the newly elected President Pezeshkian government was criticized by the conservative front and he was accused of being “capitulative” towards the US.
A vote of confidence will be held
Iranian President Pezeshkian has submitted his 19-member cabinet to a vote of confidence in parliament. On Pezeshkian’s cabinet list, Abbas Arakchi, who served as Deputy Foreign Minister and chief negotiator of nuclear agreements during the term of former President Hassan Rouhani, has been nominated for the Foreign Ministry. Brigadier General Iskander Momini, who previously served as Secretary General of the Anti-Narcotics Organization and is a military commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been chosen for the Interior Ministry. It is also noteworthy that three ministers from the cabinet of former President Ebrahim Raisi, who lost his life in a helicopter crash, are also on the list.
A vote of confidence is expected to be held in the parliament, which is largely made up of conservative MPs, on Pezeshkian’s cabinet list within a week.
