Mohammad Javad Zarif implies move was endorsed by supreme leader, as his exit sends stock market in a tailspin

• Middle East crisis – live updates

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s most prominent reformist, has resigned from the government, saying he had been instructed to do so by an unnamed senior official.

He implied the move was endorsed by the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, although he did not name him in his resignation letter as he stepped down as vice-president for strategic affairs.