Iran’s new president Pezeshkian sworn in, vows to remove Western nuclear sanctions
The sanctions have hit Iran’s vital oil exports, blocked transactions on international banking networks and spurred inflation, which is running at about 40 per cent. The dollar is being traded for 584,000 Iranian rials, a dramatic plunge for the country’s currency.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and geared towards generating electricity and producing radioisotopes to treat cancer patients – not nuclear weapons.
“Pressure and sanctions will not work on the Iranian nation,” Pezeshkian said.
Emomali Rahmon, Tajikistan’s president, also attended as did Iran’s allies from Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh and Islamic Jihad’s Ziyad al-Nakhaleh.
Iran has been challenged by the continuing Israel-Gaza war and Western fears over Tehran enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels with enough of a stockpile to produce several nuclear weapons if it chose.
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In April, Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel over the war in Gaza, while militia groups armed by Tehran – such as the Lebanese Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi rebels – are engaged in the fighting and have escalated their attacks.
In his speech, Pezeshkian spoke in support of Palestinians, saying “Iran demands a word where no Palestinian child’s dreams are buried under the rubble of their home”.
“We are seeking a world where the proud people of Palestine are freed from occupation, oppression and imprisonment and genocide,” Pezeshkian said.