Rouhani pledges to end isolation as he was sworn in for second termAugust 3, 2017 - 12:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani vowed to continue his efforts to end the country's isolation as he was sworn in for a second term on Thursday, August 3, by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, AFP reports. "We will never accept isolation," Rouhani told a packed audience of Iranian political and military officials in Tehran. "The nuclear deal is a sign of Iran's goodwill on the international stage," he said, referring to the 2015 agreement with world powers to curb its atomic programme in exchange for an easing of sanctions. However, his inauguration came less than 24 hours after fresh sanctions were imposed by US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to tear up the nuclear deal entirely. Rouhani, a 68-year-old moderate who has faced fierce criticism from conservatives for his efforts to rebuild ties with the West, issued a call for unity. "I declare once again that with the election concluded, the time for unity and cooperation has begun," he said. "I extend my hand to all those who seek the greatness of the country." Among those in attendance at the ceremony was hardline former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who fell out of favour with the establishment and was sensationally barred from standing as a candidate this year. Khamenei applauded the high turnout and "enthusiastic participation" in the May election as "signs of the success of the Islamic regime in reinforcing the republican and popular character of the revolutionary regime." He called on Rouhani to emphasise the "resistance economy" focused on increased employment and national production at a time when the official jobless rate has reached 12.6 percent. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia, Turkey discuss restoration of historic bridge The meeting took place on May 17 in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international conference of ministers of culture. India wants Armenia’s proposals on use of Chabahar port India is expecting proposals from Armenia regarding the use of Chabahar port in Iran, Indian ambassador says. EU welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan “progress” The EU has welcomed “progress” made in the framework of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation process. Belarus opposition leader slams Lukashenko for Karabakh trip Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has harshly criticized the visit of Lukashenko to Karabakh. |