Iran: ex-FM accepts government role in Pezeshkian administration

Iran’s former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has announced his return to government as Vice President for Strategic Affairs under President Masoud Pezeshkian, just weeks after resigning. Zarif, appointed on 1 August, stepped down less than two weeks later, expressing dissatisfaction with the 19-member cabinet’s composition and citing pressures related to his children’s dual US citizenship.

“I am ashamed that I could not implement, in a decent way, the expert opinion of the committees [responsible for selecting candidates] and achieve the inclusion of women, youth and ethnic groups, as I had promised,” he said at the time.

However, in a post on X yesterday, Zarif stated: “Following the thoughtful follow-ups and consultations led by the president, along with his written directive, I am committed to resuming my responsibilities in the Strategic Vice Presidency, with faith in God and the support of our great nation.”

سلام
امروز اعضای دولت در شرایطی به ملاقات مقام معظم رهبری رفتند که بالاترین حضور بانوان و اقوام و مذاهب در هیئت دولت نشانگر صداقت و شجاعت رئیس جمهور محترم در عمل به وعده‌های انتخاباتی بود که امیدوارم به همین شکل ادامه یابد و وفاق ملی بر پایه توسعه انسان محور و مردم بنیاد حاصل آن…

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) August 27, 2024

Zarif’s reappointment to the government has drawn criticism from Iranian conservatives who opposed Pezeshkian’s choice, pointing to Zarif’s involvement in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal and his role as foreign minister. Despite the backlash, Zarif attended the first meeting of the new cabinet with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday and praised the cabinet’s formation.

The newly formed cabinet received unanimous approval recently from Iran’s parliament, a feat not achieved in over two decades. Zarif, known for his pivotal role in the Iran nuclear deal, continues to have a significant impact on the Islamic Republic’s international diplomacy, despite the deal’s unravelling following the unilateral withdrawal of the US in 2018 under President Donald Trump.

Zarif, who served as Iran’s top diplomat from 2013 to 2021 under President Hassan Rouhani and the republic’s representative at the UN under President Mohammad Khatami, is seen as a moderate who has managed to engage Iran with the West.

READ: Iran: Khamenei greenlights talks with US but urges caution