President Rouhani to enhance Iran’s position

TEHRAN (ST)- Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani said the June election displayed people’s deep trust and strong support for the Islamic establishment, and further vowed to do his best to materialize his campaign promises and slogans.

Fares News Agency (FNA) quoted President Rouhani as saying: “The June election was held with full transparency, rivalry and tranquillity and its results surprised many because Iran, which was imagined by ill-wishers to start experiencing domestic conflicts and a wide gap between the state and the nation as a result of sanctions and isolations, created an almost unique epic through hectic election and massive participation of the people from different walks of life (in that election),” Rouhani said during a ceremony held here in Tehran on Saturday afternoon to mark endorsement of his presidential decree by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

Rouhani said the election “displayed maturity of the ruling system and built increasing trust between the ruling system and the people”.

“This election was not the result of a gap between the people and the ruling system since people have elected a person as their president that has been fulfilling critical responsibilities in the ruling system for years,” he reiterated.

“This election showed that democracy and populism has been institutionalized in Iran and will remain so for good, and also displayed that the Islamic Revolution enjoys the needed experience and maturity,” Rouhani stated.

He said people’s massive participation in the polling showed to the world that Iranians enjoy full solidarity and agreement and it, thus, elevated the Iranian nation’s position not just in the region, but also in the world.

The new president appreciated the Supreme Leader, all Iranian elites, political groups and streams, different walks of life of the people and religious scholars and jurisprudents for the healthy election, which he said has served as a source of energy and hope for the country.

The new president vowed to remain loyal to his campaign slogans and promises, saying people have played their role very well, “and now it is our turn to accept the message of this change and, in all the levels of the ruling system, remain loyal to respecting it”.

He further described “establishment of stability and tranquility in all grounds and removal of different concerns and shortages that the country is facing now as the least expectation of the people from the new administration”, which was manifested in the election.

Rouhani said he has ascended to power through the support of those people who demand better living conditions and dignity.

He vowed to make his utmost efforts to meet people’s demands, although “doing so won’t be possible right at once”.

He promised to concentrate more on economic prosperity and increased investment in industries and agriculture, saying that his “government’s orientation will comprise saving Iran’s economy, reviving ethics and constructive interaction with the world”.

Rouhani vowed to take “new steps on the scene of international relations in a bid to enhance Iran’s dignity and position based on national interests and removal of the present cruel sanctions”.

President Rouhani reiterated the necessity for avoiding extremism in all aspects, and said “the country is in need of policymaking, management and concentration on the rule of the law”.

He once again laid emphasis on his moderate approach in various fields of activity, and said all his government’s programs, moves and plans would be devised and implemented in the framework of moderateness.

Earlier in the ceremony, the Supreme Leader granted the presidential decree to the new president. The ceremony started at 17:00 local time (12:30 GMT) and lasted for an hour and was attended by senior Iranian state and military officials as well as foreign dignitaries.

The ceremony kicked off with the recital of the verses of the Holy Quran and continued with Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar’s report on the trend of the election from the start of arrangements to the announcement of final results.

Then, the Supreme Leader’s Chief of Staff Golpayegani read the text of the decree to the public and the Supreme Leader granted the presidential decree to the country’s new President.

The Supreme Leader’ speech followed Rouhani’s address.

Rouhani’s swearing-in ceremony will be held at the parliament tomorrow and will be attended by delegates from 52 world states.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Araqchi announced on Thursday that the foreign dignitaries will come from 52 countries and the United Nations in addition to two special guests.

Eleven presidents, eight vice-presidents, two prime ministers, three deputy prime ministers, seven parliament speakers and 11 foreign ministers will represent their governments in the August 4 ceremony, Araqchi said.

He said that composition of delegations from 12 countries have not been specified yet.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that although officials from some other countries are willing to attend the ceremony, Iran cannot accept more participants due to the limited space of the parliament hall.

Reports also said that former EU foreign policy and security Chief Javier Solana will attend the ceremony.

The special guests will be former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed and Representative of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Afghanistan, Jan Kubis.

Rouhani emerged victorious in Iran’s June 14 presidential election, which was marked by a high voter turnout. He won 50.7 percent of the votes.

The Interior Ministry put voter turnout at 72.7 percent.

Rouhani has been a representative of Ayatollah Khamenei at the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) for nearly two decades. He is also a member of the Expediency Council and the Assembly of Experts, and was the president of the Expediency Council’s Center for Strategic Research until today.

Meantime, Syrian Prime Minister, Dr. Wael al-Halqi, arrived to Tehran to participate in tomorrow’s President  Rouhani’s Constitutional Oath Ceremony.

Premier al-Halqi haild the free democratic presidential election held recently in Tehran as proving to the entire world the success of the democratic approach of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Premier underscored the strength of the historic and strategic deep rooted relations between Syria and Iran, established by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and the Late President Hafez Al-Assad, and the very relations which are being bolstered by H.E. President Bashar Al-Assad and Imam Khamenei.

Press TV quoted Premier al-Halqi as saying that Damascus welcomes any initiative that will lead to the resolution of the 28-month-long conflict in the Arab country.

Al-Halqi said in an exclusive interview with Press TV on Saturday that Syria was ready to participate in the upcoming Geneva 2 talks, though the other parties do not have a clear vision about the realities on the ground.

The Syrian premier also said the United States and Arab countries are not serious about finding a political solution to the crisis in the country.

 

M. Wassouf