Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said in a statement as the Iranian President’s chief of staff said earlier in the day, Zarif’s resignation has not been accepted.
"All evaluations and discussions other than the post of Mr. Zarif's Instagram account do not reflect the truth," Qassemi said, adding that the resignation has not been accepted as explained by the Presidency Office.
"As Mr. Zarif said, the Foreign Ministry and all its directors and ambassadors will continue their sensitive jobs strongly and seriously to press ahead Iran’s foreign policy and meet our national interests as well as security needs," he stated.
With all in his power and relying on his deep knowledge and long experience in diplomacy and international affairs, Mr. Zarif has relentlessly attempted to promote the status of Iran’s foreign policy in bilateral, regional and international relations, Qassemi said.
Zarif announced his resignation from the cabinet in a post on his Instagram account on Monday night.
"Many thanks for the generosity of the dear and brave people of Iran and its authorities over the past 67 months. I sincerely apologize for the inability to continue serving and for all the shortcomings during my service. Be happy and worthy," Zarif posted on his Instagram page.
On the other hand, in the Wednesday letter, Rouhani said he acknowledges Zarif’s emphasis on respecting the dignity and position of the Foreign Ministry.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of foreign relations and prepares the ground for materialization of national security and interests. Therefore, as I have ordered several times, all organizations, including the administrative or governmental ones, must be in full coordination with this ministry in the foreign relations sphere," Rouhani stressed.
ILKHA