The Foreign Minister of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, unexpectedly submitted his resignation to President Hassan Rouhani on Monday. Zarif did not immediately provide a reason for his resignation, but on his Instagram account he wrote: “I sincerely apologize for the incapacity to continue serving and all the shortcomings during the service.” On Tuesday, he gave an interview in which he expressed frustration over “factional fighting” within the Iranian regime, which some analysts took to mean that Zarif had quit in response to pressure from radical forces within the Iranian regime that are critical of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Analysts fear that the departure of Zarif may signify a course shift within the Iranian regime away from engagement with the West, possibly out of frustration over the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
Read more: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif announces resignation on Instagram
