Tehran, Aug 4: Hasan Rouhani has taken his oath of office, the final step in his inauguration as Iran’s new president.
Mr. Rouhani, who replaces Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was sworn in during an open session of parliament on Sunday with State TV broadcasting the ceremony live.
Iran’s media and officials have treated Mr. Rouhani as president since Saturday, when he was endorsed by the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Leaders and other representatives from more than 50 countries, mostly from the region, attended the ceremony. It was the first time since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution that foreign dignitaries attended the swearing-in ceremony of an Iranian president, underscoring Mr. Rouhani’s stated commitment to improving the country’s foreign ties.
Mr. Rouhani won a landslide victory in June 14 presidential elections.
Rohani urges West to stop using language of sanctions with Iran
Iranian President Hassan Rohani has called on Western governments to stop using the language of sanctions to address the Islamic Republic.
“I say candidly that if you want a proper response, speak to Iran not with the language of sanctions but with the language of respect,” Rohani said in his inauguration ceremony in the Iranian Majlis (parliament) on Sunday.
The new chief executive noted that the only way for interaction with Iran is “dialog on equal footing, mutual confidence-building, mutual respect and reduction of hostilities.”
Rohani stated that his policy would be based on “reducing tensions, mutual confidence-building and constructive interaction” with the world.
“I make it clear here that Iran has never been at war with the world,” he said, adding that the Islamic Republic will concentrate its efforts on “reining in warmongers.”
“The Islamic Republic seeks peace and stability in the region. Iran is the harbor of stability in this tumultuous region. We do not seek to change borders and governments,” noted Rohani.
The US has imposed several rounds of illegal sanctions on Iran, which Washington claims to be aimed at pressuring Tehran to abandon its nuclear energy program.
In its latest measure against Iran, the US House of Representatives last Wednesday approved a bill to impose tougher sanctions on Tehran’s oil exports and financial sector.
Tehran has categorically rejected West's accusations, arguing that as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a committed member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is entitled to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
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