Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pizshakyan was sworn in as the Islamic Republic’s ninth president in front of parliament on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by foreign dignitaries.
Pizshakyan won a run-off race against ultra-conservative Saeed Jalili on July 5 to replace President Ibrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in May.
Tuesday’s ceremony came two days after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, officially endorsed Pizhashkian and gave the 69-year-old heart surgeon presidential powers.
“As president of IRAN, I swear before the Holy Quran and the people of Iran, to be the guardian of the official religion and the Islamic Republic system and the constitution of the country (IRAN),” Pizshakyan said in a speech at the ceremony. Broadcast live on official TV.
Pizshakyan, who is expected to unveil his government within two weeks, won more than 16 million votes in the runoff, or about 54 percent of the nearly 30 million votes cast.
Tuesday’s ceremony was attended by senior officials from several countries, including Armenia, Tajikistan, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Cuba and Brazil.