Mohammad Javad Zarif has stepped down from his role as Iran’s vice president for strategic affairs and head of the Center for Strategic Studies, just 10 days after his appointment, international media reported.
In a social media post on platform X, late Sunday, Zarif expressed his dissatisfaction with the results of his efforts as the head of the steering council responsible for selecting the new Iranian administration’s cabinet members.
As per Xinhua news agency, Zarif revealed that out of the 19 ministers proposed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to the parliament on Sunday, only three were top recommendations from his council after evaluating over 1,000 candidates. Six were second or third choices, and one was the fifth choice.
He emphasised that while the selection of cabinet members is the president’s prerogative, the steering council and its committees only play a consultative role.
In a follow-up post on Monday, Zarif clarified that his earlier message was not a reflection of regret or disappointment with Pezeshkian but rather a sign of doubt about his effectiveness in the role of vice president for strategic affairs.
Zarif reaffirmed his support for Pezeshkian and urged the Iranian people to continue backing the new president and his administration.
Zarif, 64, who served as Iran’s foreign minister from 2013 to 2021 under former President Hassan Rouhani, was appointed to his new role by Pezeshkian on August 1.
