Iran’s political landscape shifts as the new president takes office. Get the latest updates on the inauguration.
Pledging to combat “oppressive” Western sanctions, Masoud Pezeshkian swore an oath of office before the parliament.
On Tuesday, Masoud Pezeshkian took the oath before Iran’s parliament as its ninth president under the Islamic Republic. He pledged that his government will continue working towards lifting sanctions imposed by Western countries against Iran.
Pezeshkian, aged 69, officially commenced his four-year term as the President of Iran on Sunday after receiving endorsement from Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei following his victory in the second round of presidential elections held on July 5th.
On Tuesday, more than 80 foreign officials graced the swearing-in event. Among them were heads of state, ministers and special representatives. The Chairman of the State Duma in Russia, Vyacheslav Volodin led their delegation to attend. Notably, it was aired live on national TV for viewership across various locations.
While standing before legislators and international attendees, Pezeshkian was sworn into office and gave his first address. During this speech, he made a promise to engage with the world in a positive and impactful manner. This engagement would be grounded on principles such as wisdom, expediency, and dignity according to him.
“The president emphasized the importance of a powerful, dignified Iran that seeks peace and stated that it is crucial for the world to take advantage of this unique opportunity to address both regional and global issues together,” as reported by Mehr News Agency.
He verified that the Islamic Republic stays dedicated to their nonviolent nuclear plan, acknowledging that employing “pressure and sanctions” is ineffective when interacting with Iran.
He stated that he will persist in his efforts to eliminate the burdensome sanctions and expressed hopefulness for what lies ahead.
Pezeshkian addressed the topic of Israel’s warfare with Gaza in his speech and expressed regret over Western nations providing weapons to aid the Jewish state.
In conclusion, Pezeshkian expressed the desire for a robust region by his administration.
With a reputation as a moderate, Pezeshkian emerged victorious in the July presidential election, securing 53.6% of the votes cast. The untimely death of his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi in May due to a tragic helicopter crash initiated an early election that resulted in Iranians being unable to elect their new leader during the first round held at June’s end and necessitated another runoff vote.
The Cabinet formation deadline given to the president is two weeks prior to the parliamentary vote for a confidence motion.
