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Two Days After Resigning, Iran’s Foreign Minister Returns to Post Two Days After Resigning, Iran’s Foreign Minister Returns to Post
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — Two days after saying he intended to step down, Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, returned to his post after President Hassan Rouhani rejected the resignation.LONDON — Two days after saying he intended to step down, Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, returned to his post after President Hassan Rouhani rejected the resignation.
There were smiles all around on Wednesday, as Mr. Zarif appeared alongside Mr. Rouhani during a welcoming ceremony for a visiting dignitary broadcast live on state television.There were smiles all around on Wednesday, as Mr. Zarif appeared alongside Mr. Rouhani during a welcoming ceremony for a visiting dignitary broadcast live on state television.
Despite his return, the major reason for Mr. Zarif’s resignation — his diminished status in the government — is not likely to change significantly, analysts said.Despite his return, the major reason for Mr. Zarif’s resignation — his diminished status in the government — is not likely to change significantly, analysts said.
Mr. Zarif, urbane, worldly and fluent in English, has for years been Iran’s public face to much of the world, and never more so than when he brokered a landmark deal with world powers curtailing Iran’s nuclear program.Mr. Zarif, urbane, worldly and fluent in English, has for years been Iran’s public face to much of the world, and never more so than when he brokered a landmark deal with world powers curtailing Iran’s nuclear program.
But President Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal last year sent Mr. Zarif’s stock sliding within Iran’s leadership, relegating him and his team of professional diplomats back to the sidelines.But President Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal last year sent Mr. Zarif’s stock sliding within Iran’s leadership, relegating him and his team of professional diplomats back to the sidelines.
So it was not all that surprising this week when Mr. Zarif, left out of a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, reacted to the snub by hard-liners in Iran’s government by resigning. It was a bid to shame his rivals within the leadership and an attempt to reassert his influence, analysts said.So it was not all that surprising this week when Mr. Zarif, left out of a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, reacted to the snub by hard-liners in Iran’s government by resigning. It was a bid to shame his rivals within the leadership and an attempt to reassert his influence, analysts said.
“The Foreign Ministry has been sidelined to such an extent when it comes to Syria and Iraq and all the regional security issues that it’s really embarrassing, and I think probably very frustrating for Zarif and for Iran’s professional diplomats,” said Roham Alvandi, a historian of Iran at the London School of Economics.“The Foreign Ministry has been sidelined to such an extent when it comes to Syria and Iraq and all the regional security issues that it’s really embarrassing, and I think probably very frustrating for Zarif and for Iran’s professional diplomats,” said Roham Alvandi, a historian of Iran at the London School of Economics.
But it is doubtful that Mr. Zarif will return to his job with any more influence than when he left it, analysts said.But it is doubtful that Mr. Zarif will return to his job with any more influence than when he left it, analysts said.
“A lot of this is the theatrics of Persian politics,” said Ali Ansari, a professor of Iranian history at the University of St. Andrews. “It’s part of a form: He’s gotten upset, so they have to come back and smooth the ego.”“A lot of this is the theatrics of Persian politics,” said Ali Ansari, a professor of Iranian history at the University of St. Andrews. “It’s part of a form: He’s gotten upset, so they have to come back and smooth the ego.”
Mr. Ansari said, “What it basically shows, in some ways, is that I think Iranian officials always have this sense that they’re more influential than they are.”Mr. Ansari said, “What it basically shows, in some ways, is that I think Iranian officials always have this sense that they’re more influential than they are.”
Analysts said the tensions had long been building between Mr. Zarif, a representative of the so-called moderate wing of Iranian politics, and his hard-line rivals in other state organs, notably the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.Analysts said the tensions had long been building between Mr. Zarif, a representative of the so-called moderate wing of Iranian politics, and his hard-line rivals in other state organs, notably the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
The country’s leadership is under enormous pressure since President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear treaty and the United States reinstated a broad set of sanctions, hurting Iran’s economy. The country’s leadership is under enormous pressure since Mr. Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear treaty and the United States reinstated a broad set of sanctions, hurting Iran’s economy.
The hard-liners had warned at the time that the treaty was signed that the United States was not to be trusted. The validation of that prophecy has greatly strengthened their standing and hurt the moderates.The hard-liners had warned at the time that the treaty was signed that the United States was not to be trusted. The validation of that prophecy has greatly strengthened their standing and hurt the moderates.
Despite the United States’ withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Mr. Rouhani’s administration has continued to adhere to the treaty, hoping for a victory by a Democrat in the 2020 United States presidential election that could undo the confrontational policies of Mr. Trump.Despite the United States’ withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Mr. Rouhani’s administration has continued to adhere to the treaty, hoping for a victory by a Democrat in the 2020 United States presidential election that could undo the confrontational policies of Mr. Trump.
Mr. Zarif also backs Iran’s state organs joining the Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental organization that combats money laundering and the funding of terrorism by imposing a measure of transparency. Hard-liners in a government rife with corruption want nothing to do with the task force.Mr. Zarif also backs Iran’s state organs joining the Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental organization that combats money laundering and the funding of terrorism by imposing a measure of transparency. Hard-liners in a government rife with corruption want nothing to do with the task force.
It was against that backdrop that Mr. Zarif was publicly snubbed on Monday when Mr. al-Assad paid a surprise visit to Tehran to meet with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.It was against that backdrop that Mr. Zarif was publicly snubbed on Monday when Mr. al-Assad paid a surprise visit to Tehran to meet with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mr. Zarif was noticeably absent from the Iranian entourage. Instead, he met with a group of American antiwar activists.Mr. Zarif was noticeably absent from the Iranian entourage. Instead, he met with a group of American antiwar activists.
Analysts described the episode as the straw that broke the camel’s back after years of slights against Mr. Zarif.Analysts described the episode as the straw that broke the camel’s back after years of slights against Mr. Zarif.
Hours later he announced his resignation in a post on Instagram, went home and turned off his phone.Hours later he announced his resignation in a post on Instagram, went home and turned off his phone.
But by Wednesday, he was back at work and being pictured beside Mr. Rouhani. (Under Iranian laws, ministers cannot resign without the permission of the president.)But by Wednesday, he was back at work and being pictured beside Mr. Rouhani. (Under Iranian laws, ministers cannot resign without the permission of the president.)
The influential commander of the elite Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Brig. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, who plays a leading role in Iran’s Syrian policy, also issued a statement backing Mr. Zarif.The influential commander of the elite Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Brig. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, who plays a leading role in Iran’s Syrian policy, also issued a statement backing Mr. Zarif.
He blamed a “lack of coordination at the presidential office for Mr. Zarif’s absence at the meeting with the Syrian president,” and nothing “deliberate.”He blamed a “lack of coordination at the presidential office for Mr. Zarif’s absence at the meeting with the Syrian president,” and nothing “deliberate.”
While the resignation struck some experts as unusually confrontational, they were dubious that Mr. Zarif winning his job back signaled any sort of a victory over hard-line factions that have long controlled foreign policy on matters like Syria.While the resignation struck some experts as unusually confrontational, they were dubious that Mr. Zarif winning his job back signaled any sort of a victory over hard-line factions that have long controlled foreign policy on matters like Syria.
And they said Mr. Zarif had further undercut the impact of his resignation by choosing to leave over a matter of political optics, rather than a substantive policy disagreement with other parts of the leadership.And they said Mr. Zarif had further undercut the impact of his resignation by choosing to leave over a matter of political optics, rather than a substantive policy disagreement with other parts of the leadership.
“The function of the Foreign Ministry is basically to implement the foreign policy that is decided elsewhere,” Mr. Ansari said. “It’s been like that for ages.”“The function of the Foreign Ministry is basically to implement the foreign policy that is decided elsewhere,” Mr. Ansari said. “It’s been like that for ages.”
In the Trump era, the Foreign Ministry’s remit has grown even smaller.In the Trump era, the Foreign Ministry’s remit has grown even smaller.
“Basically, their role has essentially been cut down to managing Iran’s relations with Europe,” Mr. Alvandi said. And even in Europe, Iran’s standing has been hurt by accusations that its intelligence service plotted a bombing in France.“Basically, their role has essentially been cut down to managing Iran’s relations with Europe,” Mr. Alvandi said. And even in Europe, Iran’s standing has been hurt by accusations that its intelligence service plotted a bombing in France.
Still, if nothing else, the episode appeared to show that at a moment of enormous pressure on Iran’s leadership, there was no good replacement for Mr. Zarif, who has built up decades of contacts and credibility, especially in the West.Still, if nothing else, the episode appeared to show that at a moment of enormous pressure on Iran’s leadership, there was no good replacement for Mr. Zarif, who has built up decades of contacts and credibility, especially in the West.
“It would be very hard for anyone to play the role he plays so effectively,” Mr. Alvandi said.“It would be very hard for anyone to play the role he plays so effectively,” Mr. Alvandi said.