Iran’s Vice President, Mohammed Javad Zarif, has stepped down from his position only 11 days after his appointment.

Zarif announced his resignation via his social media platform, expressing dissatisfaction with his role and regret over his inability to meet expectations.

Zarif’s resignation is attributed to disagreements over the selection of ministers for President Massud Pezeshkian’s new cabinet.

Zarif indicated that the composition of the cabinet did not align with his preferences, noting that at least seven of the 19 nominated ministers were not his first choices.

This resignation marks the second significant challenge for President Pezeshkian since he assumed office at the end of July.

The first crisis involved the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Zarif, who was a crucial ally during Pezeshkian’s presidential campaign, had been instrumental in the campaign’s success due to his popularity.

Following the election, Zarif and his team were tasked with recommending candidates for key government positions to help implement promised reforms.

However, the cabinet list presented by Pezeshkian was seen by observers as inconsistent with the reform plans. Speculation suggests that Iran’s conservative hardline faction may have influenced the ministerial appointments.

Zarif, who previously served as Iran’s chief diplomat from 2013 to 2021 and played a key role in negotiating the 2015 nuclear agreement, was expected to contribute significantly to Pezeshkian’s foreign policy and the resumption of nuclear negotiations.

The hope was that with a new team, Pezeshkian could address the economic sanctions impacting Iran’s economy.