Iran, pressure on reformists: Vice-President Zarif resigns

Tehran (Iran), Mar 3 (LaPresse/AP) – Iranian Vice-President and former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif today resigned from the government led by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, under pressure for its pro-Western line. Zarif was Pezeshkian's vice-president and has long been a target of extremists within the country's theocracy. He had already tried to resign once and it is unclear whether Pezeshkian accepted his attempt to leave the government this time. The resignation came after Iran's parliament yesterday impeached Finance Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati for his willingness to speak directly with US President Donald Trump. In a post on social X, Zarif wrote that he had met yesterday with the head of the country's judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei. ‘Referring to the conditions in the country, he recommended that I return to university to avoid further pressure on the government,’ Zarif wrote, ’I immediately agreed.’