Iran's Big Resignation Is Just Too Late
Javad Zarif may want his bosses to insist that he stays, to shore up his position against Tehran’s hardliners. But he's acting from a weak position.
The resignation of Iran's internationally popular foreign minister looks like a classic case of the country's tradition of 'taarof.'
Photographer: Spencer Platt/Getty Images North AmericaIn its simplest sense, the Iranian tradition of etiquette known as “taarof” is a form of insincere abnegation: When offered a sweetmeat by your host, you say ‘No’ several times, in the safe knowledge that your host will keep insisting until you change your mind. That may be the most useful way to think of Javad Zarif’s dramatic resignation as Iran’s foreign minister.
It’s especially telling that Zarif, who signaled that he had been undermined at home in his role as the nation’s top diplomat, chose to announce his retirement on Instagram. Plainly, he wanted as much public attention as possible before his bosses – Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani – had a chance to respond. Zarif, the architect of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with the U.S. and other world powers, was counting on widespread dismay among his followers and fans, at home and abroad. Sure enough, there ensued a chorus of “Don’t go!” on social media, as well as a petition from some members of Iran’s parliament.