TEHRAN: Seasoned diplomat and Iran’s former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on Tuesday disclosed that he was returning to the post of vice president to Masoud Pezeshkian after submitting his resignation earlier this month.
Pezeshkian named Zarif as his vice president for strategic affairs on August 1, but the former top diplomat resigned, citing his disappointment with the announced 19-member cabinet. He also said he faced pressure as his children hold US citizenship.
Conservatives in Iran have criticised Pezeshkian for selecting Zarif, who became known on the international stage for his vital role in negotiating the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with world powers.
“After the follow-ups and consultations conducted by the president and with his written order, I will continue to exercise my duties as Strategic Vice President,” Zarif said in a post on X.
Zarif who attended the new cabinet’s first meeting on Tuesday with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also praised the new cabinet in his post.
Last week, all members of the new cabinet were given a vote of confidence from parliament, marking the first time in over two decades that a president in Iran got all his nominees approved through the body.
Zarif served as the country’s top diplomat between 2013 and 2021 under President Hassan Rouhani. He also represented Iran in the United Nations.
The 2015 nuclear deal was effectively sabotaged three years later when the US unilaterally pulled out, but it helped cement the reputation of Zarif as a combative negotiator.
