Iranian President refuses to accept Zarif's resignation

Tehran:  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday refused to accept the resignation of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"Your appeal for resignation is against the country's expediency. Therefore, I do not accept it," Rouhani said in response to an earlier resignation letter by Zarif, official IRNA news agency reported.

In his Instagram message released on Monday, Zarif announced his resignation, saying "thanks for the great and brave Iranians and my colleagues, but I apologize for my failure to serve you and some flaws in my work".

Zarif, who played a key role in the 2015 nuclear deal aimed at reining in Iran's nuclear programme, did not give a reason why he was stepping down. He has served as Foreign Minister since 2013.

Rouhani described Zarif as a "trustable, brave and pious" person and an official who has always been at the "frontline of resistance against the US pressures".