Dubai:
Hardline Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took the oath of workplace ahead of parliament on Thursday, with the Islamic Republic’s clerical rulers facing expanding crises at home and abroad.
The mid-ranking Shi’ite cleric formally began his 4-year term on Tuesday when supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed his victory in the June election, when most prominent rivals have been barred from standing.
With Raisi’s presidency, all branches of energy in Iran will be controlled by anti-Western hardliners loyal to Khamenei.
“In the presence of the holy Koran and before the nation, I swear to the omnipotent God to safeguard the official religion of the country and the Islamic Republic as well as the country’s constitution,” Raisi mentioned in a ceremony broadcast live on state tv.
Raisi, who is below US sanctions more than allegations of human rights abuses when he was a judge, has pledged to take methods to lift broader sanctions that have reduce Iran’s oil exports and shut it out of the international banking technique.
“The Iranian people expect the new government to improve their livelihoods… All illegal US sanctions against the Iranian nation must be lifted,” Raisi mentioned just after getting sworn in, vowing to serve the nation and enhance ties with its neighbours.
Iran has been negotiating with six powers to revive a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned 3 years ago by then US President Donald Trump, who mentioned it was as well soft on Tehran.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international sanctions, but Trump withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy. Tehran has considering that breached limits imposed on its nuclear activities below the agreement.
Like Khamenei, Raisi has endorsed the nuclear talks, but he is extensively anticipated to adopt a tougher line in talks that have stalled. The supreme leader has the last say on all state matters which includes nuclear policy.
Iranian and Western officials have mentioned substantial gaps stay in the nuclear talks and have however to announce when the talks, whose last round ended on June 20, will resume.
The United States urged Raisi to resume talks “soon,” saying the diplomatic window would not keep open forever. “We hope that Iran seizes the opportunity,” State Department spokesman Ned Price mentioned.
With financial misery palpable and indicators of expanding anger amongst Iranians, escaping US sanctions will be Raisi’s prime financial objective, political analysts say.
“The new government will work to improve the economy to resolve the nation’s problems,” Raisi mentioned.
Tensions have simmered among Iran and the West just after a suspected drone attack last week on an Israeli-managed tanker off the Omani coast that killed two crew members.
The United States, Israel and Britain blamed the incident on Iran. Tehran has denied duty, and warned it would respond promptly to any threat to its safety.
Iran also denied involvement in a hijacking incident in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday. Maritime safety sources mentioned they suspected Iranian-backed forces have been behind the attack on a Panama-flagged tanker and Washington mentioned it believed Iranians hijacked the vessel but was not in a position to confirm.
Appointed by Khamenei to run the judiciary in 2019, Raisi was placed below US sanctions a couple of months later for the part he allegedly played in the executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988. Iran has by no means acknowledged the killings.
A Khamenei protege, Raisi has mentioned the US sanctions have been imposed on him for carrying out his job as a judge. Dissidents worry his presidency could lead to more repression.
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