Politics Iran: Vice President Sarif resigns after only eleven days

Just eleven days after his appointment as Iran's new Vice President, Mohammed Jawad Sarif vacates his post and leaves President Massud Peseshkian's cabinet. "I am not satisfied with my work and regret that I have not been able to fulfill expectations," the moderate politician said on Sunday evening on Platform X.

He therefore preferred to return to his academic work at the university. In his statement, Sarif hinted that the selection of the new ministers for Peseshkian's cabinet had been the reason for his decision. At least seven of the 19 ministers nominated were not his first choice, according to Sarif.

"I only hope that these decisions can still be balanced out with new appointments," wrote the country's long-serving chief diplomat, without elaborating. Following the killing of Hamas foreign chief Ismail Haniya in Tehran, Sarif's withdrawal is already the second crisis for Peseshkian since he took office at the end of July.

With Sarif, hope for a powerful diplomatic team is lost

Sarif was de facto Peseshkian's right-hand man during his presidential election campaign and, due to his popularity, also played a key role in his election victory. After the election, Sarif and a group of experts were to compile the list of candidates for the posts of minister and vice-president. According to Sarif, this list was to be drawn up in such a way that the reforms promised by Peseshkian during the election campaign could also be implemented.

After four weeks, Peseshkian presented a list of candidates on Sunday which, in the opinion of observers, does not match the plans and promises of reform. Observers assume that the arch-conservative camp and the hardliners imposed some ministers on Peseschkian. Critics are now accusing Peseshkian of not having resisted this influence.

Sarif was one of the key figures for Peseshkian in the implementation of his new foreign policy line. With him and a new team of diplomats, Peseshkian hoped to resume nuclear negotiations so that the sanctions that were crippling the Iranian economy could be lifted.

Sarif was the country's chief diplomat between 2013 and 2021 and was able to conclude the international nuclear agreement with the six world powers in 2015 as head of the Iranian negotiating team.

SDA