FILE PHOTO: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks during a news conference in Baghdad, Iraq January 13, 2019. REUTERS/Khalid Al-Mousily/File Photo Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that he is resigning from his position.
In a Feb. 25 Instagram post, Zarif said he is “very grateful to the gracious love of the dear and courageous people of Iran for the last 67 months.”
“I am apologizing to you for all the shortcomings in the past years during my time as foreign minister,” Zarif said. “I thank the Iranian nation and officials.”
According to Axios, the Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed Zarif’s resignation. However, NBC News reported that it is not yet known if Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will accept Zarif’s resignation.
ABC News said Zarif’s announcement came “without warning,” and there has been no further information beyond Zarif’s Instagram post.
Zarif was a key player in forging the Iran nuclear deal, which the United States pulled out of in May. Prior to serving as foreign minister, Zarif was Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations from 2002-2007.
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