Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif has stepped down on the "advice" of the country's judiciary chief, Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei.
In a post on X on March 3, Zarif said he had been "invited" by Mohseni-Ejei for a chat during which he was "advised to return to academia to prevent further pressure on the government."
A former foreign minister, Zarif's appointment in reformist President Masud Pezeshkian's government has been a source of tension for months, with his hard-line critics insisting that it violates a 2022 law on appointments in key positions.
His critics argue that Zarif's American-born sons are dual Iranian-U.S. nationals, rendering him unfit to hold such a position.
Zarif has long been a target for hard-line conservatives in Iran who claim he has too many foreign contacts and has faced suspicions because his sons -- now in their 40s -- acquired U.S. citizenship when they were born while he was a student in the United States.
Zarif had attempted to resign in August 2024 after less than two weeks in office, blaming differences with Pezeshkian over his choice of conservative cabinet members.
It later emerged that he had stepped down due to growing pressure from critics over the law.
"With Zarif's departure from the government, we can effectively consider the possibility of negotiations with America and the lifting of sanctions completely over," Ruhollah Rahimpour, a political analyst based in Turkey, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
Zarif's resignation followed the impeachment of Economy Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati, who was sacked by lawmakers in a 182-82 vote on March 2.
The political turmoil represented another setback for Pezeshkian, who shocked the country with his election victory last July, giving hopes to some observers of the potential for improved relations with the West.
SEE ALSO: Make A Deal Or Become The Deal, Ex-Diplomat Warns Iran's LeadersThe moves come at a time of increased tensions among the population over surging inflation and a tumbling currency in Iran –- which despite its energy riches is suffering through unplanned blackouts that have hit more than half of the country.
The AFP news agency reported that, on the domestic black market, Iran’s currency -- the rial -- was trading at more than 920,000 to the U.S. dollar, far worse than the rate of 600,000 to the dollar in mid-2024.
The falling value of the rial in recent years has exacerbated the cost of living in Iran. A recent report by the country's statistical authority said that around one-third of Iranians earn less than $2 a day and struggle to afford basic necessities.
SEE ALSO: Iranian Exiles Sue Ex-Shah's 'Chief Torturer' In U.S. CourtDuring Hemmati's impeachment hearing, Pezeshkian told lawmakers that he initially wanted dialogue with the United States, but changed his mind after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei opposed talks with the Donald Trump administration last month.
Hemmati backed talks with the United States while Zarif was one of the key architects of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers -- which Trump withdrew from in 2018 during his first term in office.
Rahimpor said Pezeshkian implicitly blaming Khamenei for Tehran not engaging with Trump did not go down well with the supreme leader, who has the final say on all state matters.
"The political establishment, namely Khamenei, set out to punish" the president, Rahimpor suggested, which meant withdrawing his support for Zarif and Hemmati's continued presence in Pezeshkian's cabinet.
Much of the economic difficulties are tied to sanctions placed on the Iranian economy by the United States, which resumed its "maximum pressure" policy as Trump returned to the White House on January 20.
UN sanctions against Tehran were lifted under the terms of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in return for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed by Iran with the United States, China, France, Russia, the U.K., Germany, and the European Union.
SEE ALSO: Public Anger Rises As Iran's Economy WorsensDuring his first term in office, however, Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed crippling U.S. sanctions that have roiled the economy
Zarif, a well-known and controversial figure in Iran, was Tehran's top diplomat under moderate former President Hassan Rohani and played a key role in concluding the nuclear deal.
Meanwhile, Zarif has faced international criticism for comments justifying human rights violations in Iran, the compulsory wearing of the hijab, and other nationalist remarks.