Atta Kenare / AFP – Getty Images
Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani appears on his first official day in office in Tehran on Saturday.
By Ali Arouzi, Correspondent, NBC News
TEHRAN, Iran – Hassan Rowhani was set to be inaugurated as president of Iran on Sunday, following eight years of damaging sanctions and diplomatic wrangling with the West under the leadership of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
On Saturday, the moderate cleric officially became president after receiving the formal endorsement of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei handed power to Rowhani at a ceremony at the leader’s compound that was also attended by former presidents Ahmadinejad and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Former President Mohammad Khatami, who was a key supporter in Rowhani’s bid to become president, was not present at the ceremony.
“I want to restore hope to the Iranian people and fix the economy and get rid of these cruel sanctions,” Rowhani said after the ceremony, referring to the U.S.-led sanctions imposed on Iran over its disputed nuclear program.
Khamenei said Rowhani has expressed his desire to seek a “logical relationship” with the Western powers, “and I support him.”
Officials in the West have watched Rowhani with the hope of more moderate leadership.
Under Ahmadinejad, Iran grew more isolated and came under stringent United Nations, U.S. and European Union sanctions over its nuclear program.
Rowhani won 50.7 percent of the vote in the June 14 election, making a second round of voting unnecessary.
Related:
Moderate cleric to be sworn in as Iran president
No comments:
Post a Comment