Zarif Announced He Will Remain in Government at Beheshti's Order

Mohammad Javad Zarif, the strategic deputy to the President of Iran, stated that Masoud Beheshti has instructed him to continue his activities in the government. On Sunday, Zarif told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), "Dr. Beheshti consulted with me and ordered that I continue my work in the government; I will fulfill my duty and will not let these issues occupy my mind." Recently, the former Foreign Minister's presence in the government has made headlines again. He played a significant role in Masoud Beheshti's electoral campaign. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, on December 7, deemed Zarif's appointment as Beheshti's strategic deputy "illegal" following a report indicating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's "agreement" with the "amendment of the law on compulsory citizenship." Qalibaf stated, "I consider Zarif's appointment in Beheshti's cabinet illegal." Mehdi Fazeli, a member of Khamenei's office, on December 2 amidst tensions between the government and parliament regarding Zarif's use in the cabinet, mentioned that the Supreme Leader had told Beheshti that he agreed with the amendment of the "compulsory citizenship" law and requested that this be communicated to the parliament. According to the "compulsory citizenship" law, individuals holding sensitive political positions or their children should not hold citizenship of any country other than Iran. Reports from Iranian media indicate that Zarif's children hold U.S. citizenship. In another part of his interview with IRNA, Zarif emphasized that the concept of "consensus" used frequently by Beheshti and the managers of the fourteenth government does not mean a "joint-stock government or coalition government." This comes as the appointment of some individuals close to conservatives and supporters of Saeed Jalili and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf in various positions, including governorships, has faced negative reactions from Beheshti's government supporters. During the introduction of the cabinet to the parliament, some senior figures from the reformist front criticized the composition of the selected ministers. Beheshti retained the officials of Ibrahim Raisi's government for the Ministry of Intelligence and the Atomic Energy Organization and also introduced the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade from that government as the Minister of Energy in his cabinet to the parliament. He also emphasized that all ministers were introduced after "coordination" with Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Consultative Assembly granted confidence votes to all these ministers.