Iran’s new president Rohani takes offices as economy remains a concern

August 4, 2013 | By hromedia | Reply More

Aug 04, – Rohani formally took office on Saturday at a ceremony in which he received the endorsement of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who retains

the final say on all strategic issues, including the nuclear talks. Iran’s new President Hassan Rohani was set to take the oath before parliament on Sunday a day after taking office with a promise to work to ease crippling Western sanctions.

Iran’s new President Hassan Rohani was set to take the oath before parliament on Sunday a day after taking office with a promise to work to ease crippling Western sanctions.

Ten heads of state from around the region were due to attend Sunday’s parliamentary session, set to start from 1130 GMT, Iranian reports said.

Rohani begins his four-year term with Iran facing international isolation and tough EU and US sanctions against its oil and banking sectors that have sent the value of the rial plummeting and inflation soaring.

Rohani , who is himself a former chief negotiator in the nuclear talks with the major powers, has vowed to engage more constructively with the international community.

“The trajectory of my government will be saving Iran’s economy and constructive engagement with the world,” Rohani said in a speech on Saturday broadcast live on state television.

My government, “will take fundamental steps in elevating Iran’s position based on national interest and lifting of the oppressive sanctions,” he said.

Khamenei heaped praise on Rohani and said his election had delivered a “clear message” to the world.

“There is a clear message in electing a competent individual with more than three decades of service to the establishment,” Khamenei said .

The crippling EU and US sanctions, imposed over and above the UN sanctions slapped on Iran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, have dealt a heavy blow to Iran’s economy.

Over the past two years the sanctions have sent inflation soaring to more than 45 percent, while the rial lost nearly 70 percent of its value against the dollar and created double-digit unemployment.

Western governments suspect that Iran’s nuclear programme is cover for a drive for a weapons capability. Iran insists it is for power generation and medical purposes only.

Rohani scored a surprise, first-round victory against several conservative candidates in a June 14 presidential election, on a pledge to resolve tensions with the major powers and revive Iran’s economy.

Iran has held repeated rounds of talks with the so-called P5+1 group of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany, but they have failed to allay Western concerns.

Pres Journalist for HRO media – Dawar Shah contributed to this report.