Rohani to Be Endorsed as Iran’s President Today

TEHRAN-The Iranian-elect President Hassan Rohani is due today to be endorsed as the official President of the Islamic republic.

According to Press TV, Leader of the Iranian Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei will endorse Rohani on Saturday for a four-year term in office.

The ceremony is scheduled to be held in the capital, Tehran, at 17:00 local time (12:30 GMT) on Saturday in the presence of senior Iranian officials.

Rohani succeeds Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose two legally allowed consecutive terms end on Saturday.

The Iranian president-elect won over half of the votes in Iran’s June 14 election, which was marked by a 72.7 percent turnout, to secure an outright victory.

He will take the oath of office in Iran’s Majlis on Sunday.

Eleven presidents, two prime ministers and seven parliament speakers are to participate in Rohani’s inauguration.

The presidents of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Armenia, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Togo as well as the prime ministers of Syria and Swaziland will attend the event.

Observers see that in his statements before and after winning elections, Rohani has reiterated his commitment to the principles of Iran’s policy, which is embodied in supporting just causes, particularly the Palestinian cause, in backing national resistance in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq and in confronting the foreign schemes which aims at dominating the region and its resources.

H. Mustafa