Iran's VP still holds post despite resignation
Veteran nuclear negotiator and top reformist Javad Zarif remains at his senior post despite resigning, a spokesperson said, signaling that the beleaguered president is loath to lose him.
Veteran nuclear negotiator and top reformist Javad Zarif remains at his senior post despite resigning, a spokesperson said, signaling that the beleaguered president is loath to lose him.
Government Spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Sunday that Zarif's resignation, announced amid controversy over his children's US citizenship, has not been officially accepted, emphasizing that his appointment has not been revoked, nor has a replacement been named.
"From the government's perspective, Zarif remains the Strategic Affairs Vice-President," Mohajerani said. "Dr. Zarif's vice presidency remains valid, though he is absent from government meetings."
Zarif announced his resignation earlier this month, citing pressure from the Judiciary and a desire to "prevent further pressure on the government" after criticism from hardliners who cited a 2022 law banning officials with dual citizenship or close relatives with dual citizenship from holding sensitive positions.
Mohajerani also addressed concerns about other officials with dual citizenship. "If the law is to be enforced, it must apply uniformly across all branches of government," she added.
Mohajerani revealed that Zarif had met with President Masoud Pezeshkian after submitting his resignation, where she said they discussed "Zarif's capabilities, impact, and unique experiences".
Though she said "the text he released indicated a kind of resignation", she went on to say: “The Vice-President for Strategic Affairs resigned from his position to prevent harm to the President, the government, and the country."
Zarif's resignation sparked sharp political reactions in Iran, with hardliners celebrating his exit and reformists warning of its broader implications.
His departure came less than four weeks after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reaffirmed his opposition to negotiations with the United States, a stance that undermined Zarif’s role in the government.
It was widely perceived that Zarif joined the Pezeshkian administration to help negotiate another nuclear deal with world powers similar to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was scrapped by Donald Trump during his first term in office.
However, Khamenei, the country's ultimate decision-maker, rejected the idea of talks with Trump last month.
Reformist commentators have warned that Zarif’s resignation, coming shortly after the impeachment of Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati, signals growing instability within Pezeshkian’s administration.
Despite the wage hike, workers' representatives had demanded at least a 70% increase to keep pace with inflation.
The council did not issue a decision on housing allowances, leaving it at 9 million rials ($9.50) per month, while rent for a 50-square-meter apartment in Tehran averages 150 million rials ($160) per month.
Hussein-Ali Haji Deligani, a member of parliament, dismissed the 45% wage increase as insufficient in the country's collapsing economy.
“With 100 million rials ($106), a family cannot survive,” he said, calling for a fundamental adjustment of wages to match inflation.
The increase is 10 percentage points higher than last year’s 35% wage increase, but some lawmakers emphasized that percentage gains mean little when purchasing power declines.
Mojtaba Yousefi, an MP from Ahvaz, pointed out that “when wages rise slower than inflation, workers’ real income drops by 20%.”
According to Iran’s labor law, the minimum wage must be set in accordance with inflation and provide for a household’s basic needs.
Inflation has been consistently around 50 percent and the economic crisis has significantly diminished the purchasing power of ordinary Iranians, leading to tens of millions falling into the category of working poor.
Experts highlight that the poverty line for Tehran residents is approximately 300,000,000 rials (approx. $600) per month, three times the current minimum wage.
Ali Babaei Karnami, head of the parliamentary Social Committee, previously said that any increase below 50% would be “a deviation from the law.” He also cited reports estimating a household’s essential expenses at 260 million rials ($277) per month, more than twice the newly set minimum wage.
Under the new system, a married worker with two children will see their total monthly income rise from 116.9 million rials ($124) to 163.5 million rials ($174), while a single worker without seniority will earn 134.9 million rials ($144), up from 94.6 million rials ($101).
Each year, Iran’s labor ministry convenes negotiations between worker and employer representatives, but two key factors ultimately determine wages: the government’s salary increases in the annual budget and the inflation rate reported by the country’s statistics agency.
Critics argue that raising wages without broader economic reforms risks fueling further inflation while failing to improve workers’ real incomes. At least one third of Iran now lives below the poverty line.
In dollar terms, wages have barely grown due to the weakening rial, leaving many workers effectively poorer despite nominal increases.