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1. Zarif's resignation has mobilized the public and elements of the political establishment favoring moderation behind him, while revealing the common interest between Iran's hardliners and hawks in Israel, DC and Saudi.
If Zarif stays, he'll be in stronger position than before.
If Zarif stays, he'll be in stronger position than before.
2. If Ayatollah Khamenei refuses to accept his resignation, Zarif will be serving BECAUSE of Khamenei's insistence. This will give him an important layer of protection against his hardline critics.
3. The public outcry in support of Zarif will make it all the more difficult for Rouhani and Ayatollah Khamenei to accept his resignation. It's a reminder that while hardliners have stepped up their attacks on Zarif, they enjoy far less public support than he does.
4. Also critical to understand that had Trump not waged a war on the #IranDeal and deprived Iranians of the economic benefits they were promised, it would have been much harder for the hardliners to attack and corner Zarif. Trump enabled the hardliners.
