Mohsen Paknejad has officially stepped down from his position as Iran’s Oil Minister, citing personal reasons for his departure. Having served in the role since August 2024, Paknejad’s resignation comes during a period of significant economic strain for the nation, exacerbated by the ongoing seven-month conflict between Iran and the United States. According to Mehdi Tabatabaei, a communications deputy in the presidential office, the decision had been in the works for some time, and President Masoud Pezeshkian ultimately accepted the request following Paknejad's persistent insistence.

In the wake of this leadership change, Hamid Bovard, who currently heads the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company, has been named as the acting minister. The transition follows recent public assurances from Paknejad, who had indicated shortly before his resignation that the country’s oil revenues remained stable and were expected to continue flowing despite the geopolitical pressures facing the OPEC member state.