TEHRAN: Iranian reformist president Masoud Pezeshkian was sworn in as Iran’s ninth president at a ceremony held in parliament on Tuesday attended by foreign dignitaries.
Reformist Pezeshkian won a runoff election against ultraconservative Saeed Jalili on July 5 to replace President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash in May.
The sworn-in ceremony was attended by over 70 foreign delegates, including senior officials and secretary generals from regional and international organizations, as reported by the state broadcaster. Senior officials from several countries including Armenia, Tajikistan, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Cuba and Brazil attended the ceremony.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, formally endorsed Pezeshkian on Sunday following his victory in the presidential runoff held on July 5.
Pezeshkian won the election with 53.7% of the vote, defeating former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, who received 44.3%, according to the Interior Ministry.
The snap election was triggered by the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raeisi in a helicopter crash in May.
Mojtaba Yousefi, a member of the parliament’s presiding board, announced that Pezeshkian will have 15 days to present his proposed ministers to the parliament for a vote of confidence.
As per parliamentary rules, Pezeshkian will formally relinquish his lawmaker seat on July 31.
In his speech before the parliament, Pezeshkian called for “constructive relations” with neighbours. “Our priority is effective communication with neighbours. We want a strong region,” he said.
