Al-Monitor | Mohammad Ali Shabani: The sudden resignation of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has predictably hit Iran as nothing short of an earthquake. However, before engaging in analysis of which dynamics are at play — and what the potential ramifications may be — it is useful to consider the procedural dimensions.


Zarif posted his resignation on his personal Instagram page at midnight, local time, on Monday. He expressed gratitude to “the dear and honorable Iranian people for the last 67 months,” apologizing for his “incapacity” to continue serving in his post.

Zarif has reportedly submitted an actual letter of resignation, as is required, to President Hassan Rouhani. The president can now either accept or reject the request. In the wake of Zarif’s Instagram post, several lawmakers — including fierce critics of Zarif — claimed that the foreign minister has submitted his resignation up to 14 times since becoming chief diplomat back in 2013.

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