Rouhani sworn in as Iran's new president

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Rouhani sworn in as Iran's new president

(Xinhua) 08:23, August 05, 2013

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TEHRAN, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Hassan Rouhani was sworn in as Iran' s new president on Sunday amid hopes that he will bring changes to the country's social and economic sectors as well as its foreign relations.

Attended by Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, Rouhani cited his oath and vowed to use all means of power to serve the country, Iranian nation and the Islamic establishment.

"I swear to protect the constitution and justice.... and to devote myself to protect freedom and people's dignity and rights on the basis of constitution," he said during the inauguration.

He also vowed to defend the country's borders and politico- cultural independence.

Rouhani was endorsed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. He was elected as Iran's new president in a landslide victory on June 14.

For the first time in the history of the Islamic republic since 1979, a number of the world leaders attended the inauguration ceremony of the elected president on Sunday.

After the swearing-in ceremony, Rouhani addressed the participants in Iran's parliament saying that sanctions and war threats cannot serve as an instrument to pressure the Iranian nation.

Rouhani, who was Iran's former nuclear negotiator from 2003 to 2005, said that dialog is the proper way to settle the issues between the West and Iran.

The world powers and the Islamic republic have conducted several rounds of talks over the country's sensitive nuclear program, but no agreement has been reached. Iran's financial and energy sector are under Western sanction pressures.

Rouhani said although Western sanctions have inflicted pressure on the economy of Iranian people, the nation's participation in July-14 presidential elections indicated that the Iranians are " alert to protect their national interests" at any time.

Dialog on basis of "equal footing" and "mutual respect" as well as "constructive interaction" would be the proper means to settle the issues, he said, urging the Western states to "drop the language of sanctions" in dealing with Iran.

On Sunday, the United States said if the new administration in Iran is willing to "engage substantively and seriously" to alleviate the international concerns over its nuclear activities, it is prepared to work with Rouhani to address the concerns.

Further, Rouhani said in the inauguration ceremony that his country is pursuing peace and stability in the region and will not seek to interfere in the countries' internal affairs.

Iran is against any kind of foreign intervention and agression, including military intervention, in the countries and will use its power to contain warmongers.

In a meeting with the Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi, who travelled to Tehran for Rouhani's swearing-in, the Iranian president said that Iran has considered the Syrian nation as its " friend and brother" and will regard the same.

For his part, al-Halqi expressed gratitude for Iran's support and assistance to the Arab state.

The West accuses the Islamic republic for providing financial and military support for the Syrian government in its confrontation with the opposition.

About his domestic policies, Rouhani said that he will save the economy of the country, deal with the economic hardships of the people and fight poverty.

Iran's seventh president called his administration as the " government of prudence and hope" and vowed to stick to the law and promise of change.

The new president pledged to vindicate the rights of women and minorities and to fight social discrimination and corruption.

At the end of the ceremony, Rouhani introduced the names of his cabinet nominees to the parliament.

Among the proposed ministers, Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh is as the oil minister and the former Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations Mohammad-Javad Zarif is the foreign minister.

Namdar-Zanganeh served as the minister of energy from 1988 to 1997 and Iran's oil minister from 1997 to 2005, and Zarif was also Iran's ambassador to the UN from 2002 to 2007 and a member of Iran 's nuclear negotiating team from 2003 to 2005.

The Iranian parliament will start to study the list of the president within one week, said Ali Larijani, Iran's Malis ( parliament) speaker.