The Iranian President rejected the resignation of Chancellor Mohammad Javad Zarif: "This goes against the interests of the country"

Iranian President Hasan Rohani on Wednesday rejected the resignation of his Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, announced the government website.

"I think his resignation goes against the interests of the country and I do not approve of it", Rohani wrote in a letter to Zarif and posted on the government website.

Earlier, the president congratulated in a speech the work of Zarif and his dedication to the fight against the United States, without mentioning the resignation.

In the midst of this confusion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was silent. He only urged diplomats and foreign officials to remain in their posts, after several expressed their intention to resign if the minister's resignation was effective.

Zarif, in post since 2013, I had received many samples of support, like that of the 160 deputies who signed a letter in which they asked Rohaní to refuse his resignation.

The Iranian Minister and chief negotiator of the nuclear deal signed in 2015 between Iran and six major powers has not explained why he had resigned last night, which also encouraged speculation.

"I sincerely apologize for my inability to continue to hold this post and for all the deficiencies noted during my service", he wrote in his Instagram account.

His resignation made him fear losing a reputable international interlocutorl and that Iran's foreign policy be reoriented towards more conservative positions.