“As the supreme leader has described you a ‘trustworthy, brave and religious’ person in the forefront of the resistance against widespread US pressure, I consider accepting your resignation to be against national interests and reject it,” Rouhani said in a letter to Zarif.

The statement comes as Zarif thanked government officials and the people of Iran for their support, stressing that he has always remained committed to serving his country.

“As a modest servant, I have never had any concern but elevating the foreign policy and the status of the foreign ministry,” Zarif wrote on his Instagram account.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported that shortly after Rouhani rejected his resignation, Zarif attended a ceremony to welcome Armenia's Prime Minister to Tehran.

The top Iranian diplomat made a surprise announcement on his Instagram account about his resignation on Monday.

In the post, he apologized "for the inability to continue the service and for all the shortcomings during the service," but declined to reveal the reasons for the decision.

Reporter’s code: 50101