Rouhani Sworn in as Iran's President

TEHRAN (defapress)- The swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani kicked off in the capital, Tehran, at 17:00 local time (1230 GMT) on Saturday in the presence of senior Iranian state and military officials as well as foreign dignitaries.

News ID: 65470

Date: 05 August 2017 - 18:28

The ceremony underway at the venue of the Iranian Parliament started with the national anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran and recital of verses of the Holy Quran.

The session continued with a brief speech by Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, who presides the meeting and welcomed the guests, specially the foreign officials partaking in the ceremony.

Many high-ranking Iranian and foreign officials are present at the ceremony, including several world leaders.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi declared participation of over 100 high-ranking delegations from different world states and global bodies in the swearing-in ceremony of President Rouhani, and stressed the fruitlessness of the policy of sanctions against Tehran.

"The presence of delegations from 95 world states and 9 international and regional organizations in the swearing-in ceremony of President Hassan Rouhani indicates the world's positive interaction with Iran in the current global and regional situation," Qassemi told FNA on Saturday.

"The sanctions policy in today's world is a failed and fruitless policy," he added.

Larijani's inaugural address was followed by a speech by Judiciary Chief Sadeq Amoli Larijani.

Then, Rouhani was sworn in by the Judiciary chief as Iran's new President.

The ceremony continued by Rouhani's presidential address.

The swearing-in ceremony is held two days after Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei endorsed Rouhani's presidential decree. The endorsement ceremony on Thursday was attended by senior Iranian state and military officials as well as foreign dignitaries.

Under Iran’s election law, the president-elect is required to gain the Leader’s official approval before being sworn in before the Parliament. Through this process, called Tanfiz (validation), the Leader affirms the outcome of the presidential election.

Addressing the ceremony, Ayatollah Khamenei hailed the election process as the symbol of democracy in post-Revolution Iran.

Prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, people were sidelined and prevented from playing a role in running the country’s affairs, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader further said Iranian officials have succeeded to cooperate with the world despite enemy attempts to isolate the nation.

The sanctions imposed on Iran helped the country to grow powerful and self-reliant as the nation turned to the resources and capabilities at home, he added.

"The sanctions, of course, caused problems for the country, but (made us) open our eyes to our own capabilities,” the Leader said. "We used all the enmities to our own benefit.”

President Rouhani also delivered a speech after receiving the endorsement decree, elaborating on his future plans as the chief executive.

He said "social justice” and "poverty alleviation” were among the main ideals of the Islamic establishment, adding that the eradication of absolute poverty is one of the objectives of his administration.

The administration, he said, seeks to set the stage for people to exercise their rights, adding that his cabinet would make efforts to "uproot poverty and corruption, contain inflation and (facilitate) economic growth.”

Rouhani further called for more investment and access to advanced technologies, stressing that sustainable development is not achievable without reliable plans.

Iran paid the price for its independence and will stand against enemy attempts to isolate the nation, he added, stressing, "We will never accept isolation.”

He said the country has stood against the "toughest of the sanctions” by taking advantage of a combination of its "diplomatic power” and "deterrence might.”

The president also pointed to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and said "the JCPOA has showed Iran’s goodwill to engage in constructive and effective interactions on the international stage.”

He was referring to the deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, by its acronym. The accord lifted the nuclear-related sanctions against Iran in exchange for certain restrictions on its nuclear activities.

In May, Rouhani won re-election after securing 57 percent of the votes and defeating his main contender Ebrahim Raeisi, the current custodian of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH).