Iranian Vice President Resigns Just Over a Week After Appointment
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has announced his resignation as Vice President just over a week after assuming the role, citing disappointment with the proposed cabinet lineup.
“In order to avoid any doubts or excuses that could disrupt the functioning of the government, I have decided to step down from my position as Vice President for Strategic Affairs,” Zarif declared today on social media platform X, barely two weeks after being appointed by Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian on August 1st.
Zarif outlined several reasons for his decision to resign, with the most notable being his frustration with the proposed 19-member cabinet. He expressed that he felt “ashamed” for not fulfilling his commitment to include women, youth, and ethnic minorities in the cabinet, as per the expert recommendations of the candidate selection committees.
On August 11th, President Pezeshkian submitted the cabinet list, which included only one woman, to the parliament for approval. This list has faced criticism from some within Iran’s reformist camp, as it also features conservative politicians who served under the late President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration.
Zarif also mentioned that he faced considerable pressure after his appointment due to his children holding U.S. citizenship. In October 2022, Iran enacted a law prohibiting the appointment of individuals with dual citizenship, or whose children or spouses hold dual citizenship, to sensitive positions or jobs.
“My message is not one of regret or disappointment with President Pezeshkian, nor is it an objection to the current situation. Rather, I am questioning my own usefulness in the role of Vice President for Strategic Affairs,” Zarif explained, adding that he plans to return to academia and focus less on domestic politics.
Zarif served as Iran’s Foreign Minister from 2013 to 2021 under moderate President Hassan Rouhani. He gained international recognition for his role in the lengthy negotiations that led to the 2015 historic nuclear agreement with world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The JCPOA collapsed three years later when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
Nevertheless, the deal solidified Zarif’s status as a symbol of a more open and outward-looking Iran, a vision that President Pezeshkian pledged to pursue during his campaign. Zarif was a frequent companion of Pezeshkian throughout the campaign.
