Iran’s foreign minister resigns

Mohammad Javad Zarif, an American-educated diplomat who was an architect of the Iranian nuclear deal, announced his resignation on Instagram. He is one of the Islamic Republic’s best-known figures abroad.

In his post, he said he apologized “for my inability to continue serving and for all the shortcomings during my service.”

What we don’t know: It was not immediately clear why he was quitting or whether his resignation would be accepted.

Analysis: Mr. Zarif was the only top Iranian official with a deep understanding of Western diplomacy and the ability to interact directly with the West. His public resignation, in a country where governance is usually conducted behind closed doors, seemed to indicate escalating tensions between the country’s hard-liners and President Hassan Rouhani.

Context: Iran is in the midst of a dire economic crisis, worsened by American sanctions, which has increased pressure on Mr. Rouhani. The U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal made Mr. Zarif vulnerable to attacks from hard-liners who never supported it.