Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif, architect of nuclear deal, resigns

Record ID: 1396977

  • Title: Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif, architect of nuclear deal, resigns
  • Date: 25th February 2019
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (FILE - JANUARY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN KERRY, AND ZARIF, COMING OUT OF HOTEL VARIOUS OF KERRY AND ZARIF WALKING TOGETHER OUTSIDE HOTEL VIENNA, AUSTRIA (FILE - JULY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE P5+1 COUNTRIES, EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, FEDERICA MOGHERINI
  • Embargoed: 11th March 2019 22:03
  • Keywords: negotiations sanctions nuclear deal nuclear programme Iran resignation Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif foreign affairs United States
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: Iran
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA002A3301TZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the urbane, U.S.-educated architect of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, announced his resignation unexpectedly on Monday (February 25) on Instagram.
    "Many thanks for the generosity of the dear and brave people of Iran and its authorities over the past 67 months. I sincerely apologise for the inability to continue serving and for all the shortcomings during my service. Be happy and worthy," he wrote on his Instagram page jzarif_ir.
    He gave no specific reasons for his decision.
    Zarif played the lead role in striking the deal under which Iran agreed to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international financial sanctions.
    He came under attack from anti-Western hardliners in Iran after the United States pulled out of the agreement last May and reimposed sanctions on Iran's economy and its lifeblood oil industry that were lifted under the deal.
    A spokesman for the Iranian mission to the United Nations, Alireza Miryousefi, confirmed the announcement of the resignation. However there was no immediate word on whether President Hassan Rouhani would accept it.
    Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said "some sources have confirmed Zarif's resignation". A foreign ministry spokesman confirmed his resignation, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
    (Production: Akshata Rao)
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register