Iran’s Zarif says he won’t run for president

Iran’s foreign minister ruled out any possibility about his nomination in the country’s next presidential election, a race that hard-liners are already attempting to make entirely one-sided.
The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javad Zarif, speaks during a meeting with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez (out of frame), in Havana, on November 6, 2020. - Cuba and Iran's foreign ministers met in Havana on Friday to reinforce their mutual support in the face of crippling US sanctions. (Photo by YAMIL LAGE / AFP) (Photo by YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javad Zarif, speaks during a meeting with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez (out of frame), in Havana, on Nov. 6, 2020. - YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif gave an absolute “no” to questions about whether he will run in the country’s next presidential election, slated to be held next June.

In a Persian-language interview with Afghanistan’s Tolo News TV, Zarif appeared confident in his answer, noting that such a decision does not indicate that he has been fatigued by politics. “But I don’t see my capabilities fitting such a position [presidency].”

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