Mohammad Javad Zarif: I Resigned from My Position at the 'Recommendation' of the Judiciary Chief

Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that he resigned from his position as Strategic Deputy to President Masoud Pezeshkian at the 'recommendation' of the Judiciary Chief. On the morning of Monday, March 4, he wrote on the social media platform 'X' that the previous day he had gone to meet the Judiciary Chief at his 'invitation,' and 'he pointed out the country's conditions and recommended that I return to the university to prevent further pressure on the government.' He added that he accepted this recommendation 'immediately.' There has been no news yet regarding Masoud Pezeshkian's reaction to his resignation. Zarif wrote: 'In the past six months, I have faced the most despicable insults, slanders, and threats against myself and my family, and I have even experienced the bitterest period of my forty years of service within the government.' Just hours before these statements, Iranian media reported that Mohammad Javad Zarif had submitted his resignation to Masoud Pezeshkian. The media also noted that this resignation came after the impeachment session of Abdolnaser Hemmati, the Minister of Economy, and the parliament's vote to dismiss him. In his recent message, Zarif emphasized his continued support for Pezeshkian, stating: 'I hope that by my departure, the excuses for obstructing the people's demands and the government's success will be removed.' Zarif, who had a prominent presence in Pezeshkian's electoral campaign, was appointed as the Strategic Deputy to the President following his victory. He announced in August of this year that he had resigned due to pressures related to the dual nationality of his children. However, despite numerous debates in the Islamic Consultative Assembly over the 'illegality' of this appointment, he had remained in his position. Mohammad Javad Zarif was the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran during Hassan Rouhani's administration and played a key role in the conclusion of the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, known as the JCPOA. His statements in international circles justifying human rights violations in Iran, the issue of compulsory hijab, and the incident of the Ukrainian airplane being shot down by the IRGC faced a wave of criticism from human rights organizations and many citizens.