{"id":329148,"date":"2025-03-03T22:43:24","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T21:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=329148"},"modified":"2025-03-03T22:46:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T21:46:01","slug":"khameneis-removal-of-zarif-and-hemmati-marks-a-new-phase-in-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/iranian-regime-infighting\/khameneis-removal-of-zarif-and-hemmati-marks-a-new-phase-in-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"Khamenei\u2019s Removal of Zarif and Hemmati Marks a New Phase in Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Iranian
Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (right) seated next to his appointed President Masoud Pezeshkian (center) and Judiciary Chief G.H. Mohseni-Ejei (left) at a state-staged ceremony in July 2024<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three-minute read<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

On March 2, 2025, Mohammad-Javad Zarif announced his resignation from his position as Strategic Deputy to the President in Masoud Pezeshkian\u2019s cabinet. In a post on X, Zarif revealed<\/a> that he had met with Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the regime\u2019s Judiciary Chief, who had advised him to step down to prevent further pressure on the government. \u201cI immediately accepted. I have always sought to be a supporter, not a burden,\u201d Zarif stated. He added, \u201cI still take pride in supporting Pezeshkian.\u201d This statement, coupled with the circumstances surrounding his departure, indicates that his resignation was not voluntary but rather dictated from above.<\/p>\n

State-run news agency IRNA promptly reported<\/a> the event as a resignation, stating that Zarif had submitted his letter to Pezeshkian, who had yet to respond. Other regime-aligned outlets, such as the Fars News Agency and Kayhan Daily, framed the development as a necessary correction to an illegitimate appointment. Meanwhile, MP Hamid Rasaee rejected the notion of resignation altogether, stating<\/a>: \u201cSomeone who was illegally appointed in the first place cannot resign. He must be removed after facing charges.\u201d This view was echoed by Amir-Hossein Sabeti,<\/a> another MP, who suggested that more officials should be removed for the same reason, calling on government members with dual-citizen children to either revoke their children\u2019s foreign citizenship or step down.<\/p>\n

The Resignation Card<\/h3>\n

This is not the first time Zarif has used the resignation card. In 2019, during the Rouhani administration<\/a>, he resigned after being excluded from a high-level meeting between Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and the Iranian leadership. His resignation was rejected by the Supreme Leader\u2019s office, exposing the limits of his authority. His August 2024 resignation<\/a> attempt, citing pressure over his children\u2019s dual citizenship, was another instance where his political survival depended on forces beyond his control.<\/p>\n

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Mohammad-Javad Zarif, former #Iranian<\/a> regime FM and newly appointed strategic deputy of #MasoudPezeshkian<\/a> resigned following the introduction of the new controversial cabinet. pic.twitter.com\/H8b1xUwz1d<\/a><\/p>\n

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 12, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n