The resignation comes after pressure from the most conservative in President Masoud Pezeshkian's government. The turn of events underscores Tehran's distancing from the USA, which has further tightened sanctions against Iran since the shift in power.
It was not immediately clear whether Pezeshkian had accepted the resignation.
Zarif was, as the then Foreign Minister, involved in negotiating the international nuclear energy agreement in 2015. He has long been criticized by conservatives in the religious dictatorship, among other things, for his children being American citizens after being born during Zarif's time as UN representative in New York.
At the same time, a national court case has been brought against Finance Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati, who had previously expressed a positive view of direct negotiations with the USA.
Political analysts are now warning that even the president – who was elected on promises of an outstretched hand to the West for eased sanctions – may be at risk.
