Mohammed Javad Zarif, Iran’s Vice President, has stepped down just 11 days after being appointed. He announced his resignation on X (formerly Twitter), expressing dissatisfaction with his performance and his inability to meet expectations.

Zarif also hinted that disagreements over the selection of ministers for President Massud Pezeshkian’s new cabinet played a major role in his decision. He mentioned that seven out of the 19 ministers chosen were not his preferred candidates.

Zarif had been a key figure in Pezeshkian’s presidential campaign and was expected to help shape the new government to implement promised reforms. However, the final list of ministers presented by Pezeshkian seemed to diverge from the reform plans, leading to Zarif’s resignation.

Observers believe that Iran’s hardline conservative faction may have influenced the selection of some ministers, which could have clashed with Zarif’s vision.

Zarif, who served as Iran’s Foreign Minister from 2013 to 2021, was instrumental in negotiating the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. He was expected to play a significant role in renewing nuclear negotiations under Pezeshkian’s administration, but his resignation marks a significant setback for the new government.

This is the second major challenge for President Pezeshkian, following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, just a few days after Pezeshkian took office.