President Hassan Rouhani has officially rejected the resignation of his Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, the architect of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers led by the US, writes Nassir Shirkhani.

“I believe accepting your resignation would be against the benefit of the country, so I reject it,” Rouhani said.

US President Donald Trump tore up the nuclear agreement last year in a blow to Iran’s efforts to attract investment to its beleaguered oil sector.