GUIDANCE

The Iranian Foreign Minister's Resignation Reveals a Political Struggle in Tehran

Feb 27, 2019 | 15:12 GMT

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (L) gestures as he speaks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during a meeting in Beijing on Feb. 19, 2019. Zarif's attempts to quit have lifted the lid on political infighting behind the scenes in Tehran.

(HOW HWEE YOUNG/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

Iran's president did not accept Foreign Minister Javad Zarif's resignation, but if he had, it would have had significant implications for the country's politics and foreign policy.
Zarif's decision could be part of a political ploy designed to push back against his rivals and strengthen his ministry's role in key foreign policy matters.
Up until this point, Iranian foreign policy has held steady, but if hard-liners get their way and supplant more moderate figures like Zarif, that could change.

Confusion reigned in Tehran following the surprise resignation of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif late Feb. 25. The decision, which he announced on Instagram, came a day after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Tehran, apparently without Zarif's knowledge. Zarif noted Feb. 26 he was quitting in protest, in part to "protect the integrity" of Iran's Foreign Ministry, which he added should "return to its rightful place" in foreign policy....

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