Iranian Nuclear Dealmaker Quits as U.S. Sanctions Tighten

Mohammad Javad Zarif, the former Iranian foreign minister who brokered a 2015 nuclear deal, has resigned from President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government under pressure from hardliners.

His departure follows the impeachment of Finance Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati, another reformist seen as open to engagement with Washington, and comes as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates sanctions on Tehran. Reviving his “maximum pressure” strategy.

Newsweek has reached out to Zarif for comment via his X account.

Why It Matters

Zarif’s resignation signals a collapse of diplomatic efforts as Trump’s policies push Iran’s leadership further towards confrontation.

Trump’s administration has imposed sweeping sanctions, targeting Iran’s financial sector, oil exports, and military programs, while Iranian officials increasingly suggest they could seek nuclear weapons. With negotiations off the table and Tehran’s hardliners dominating, the risk of escalation grows.

What to Know

Iran’s state-run IRNA reported on Monday that Zarif, who served as vice president to Pezeshkian, submitted his resignation after a meeting with Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, who urged him to step down.

Zarif, a key architect of the nuclear deal that Trump dismantled, has long been a target of hardliners. His children’s U.S. citizenship, due to his time in New York as a diplomat, became a political liability under a law banning officials with foreign-born dependents from holding office.

Since returning to office, Trump has intensified efforts to isolate Iran economically, reimposing sanctions lifted under the nuclear deal.

His administration has blocked Iranian oil sales, frozen assets, and expanded financial blacklists, severely restricting Tehran’s access to global markets. The move has weakened Iran’s currency and fueled economic turmoil.

Finance Minister Impeached

On Sunday, parliament impeached Finance Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati, citing Iran’s worsening currency crisis, which has been exacerbated by Trump’s sanctions. Hemmati, who had previously signaled willingness to negotiate with the U.S., was ousted in what analysts see as another step toward eliminating reformist voices from Pezeshkian’s administration.

Khamenei Dismisses Talks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected diplomacy with Washington as neither “smart, wise, nor honorable.”

Khamenei recently doubled down on his stance, citing Trump’s Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as further proof of American unreliability.

What People Are Saying

Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his X account: “I thank God Almighty for giving this small servant the opportunity to offer what I could in the past nine months to fulfill the will of the nation and serve the people.”

Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s President, after the impeachment of Hemmati said: “The economic problems of today’s society are not related to one person, and we cannot blame it all on one person.”

Dr Sanam Vakil, director of Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House, told Newsweek: “Zarif’s resignation and Hemmati’s impeachment indicate that internal politics are heating up and Pezeshkian’s honeymoon period of unity has come to a quick end.”

What Happens Next

With Trump’s policies crippling Iran’s economy and hardliners in full control, Pezeshkian faces mounting pressure to abandon diplomatic engagement entirely. As Tehran accelerates its nuclear program and Trump signals further sanctions—or potential military action—U.S.-Iran tensions appear set to escalate.