TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman says President Rouhani’s magnificent inauguration reflected a worldwide trend toward Iranophilia as opposed to Iranophobia.

Rouhani was inaugurated as the 7th president of the Islamic Republic of Iran in a high-profile ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony was attended by some 1200 guests, including 700 senior Iranian officials and 500 prominent officials from other countries.

In an editorial in the Shargh newspaper, Bahram Qassemi wrote that the huge turnout in the event proved that the project of Iranophobia has failed.

Iran bears the message of peace, friendship, security, development and prosperity for all nations across the globe, Qassemi said.

Iran would positively respond to any country who extends the hand of friendship, he noted in his commentary.

He also said Iran’s presidential election is a peerless process in the whole world, with three different messages.

“The first [message] is that the president is elected directly by the nation’s vote, which is a manifestation of democracy,” he said.

“The second is the endorsement of people’s vote by an Islamic leader, which shows the country’s Islamic nature. And the third is the swearing-in of the president before (diplomatic) representatives from scores of countries as well as the representatives of the nation (parliamentarians), the public opinion and international institutions, which is a sign that the world confirms and accepts the existence of the Islamic Republic.”

Qassemi noted that with the high turnout, Tehran became the world’s capital of diplomacy and the focal point for the world at large.

“The world views the presidential election and the president-elect with respect and admiration.”

Facing a strong challenge from principlist Ebrahim Raisi at the May 19 presidential election, Rouhani ultimately managed to secure more than 23 million (57%) of the votes, winning the election in a landslide.  

Referring to Rouhani’s decisive victory, Qassemi said the Iranian people have once again chosen the path of moderation and reform adopted by the president during his first four-year term.

“Such path is also accepted and welcomed by the international community,” he remarked.

MH/PA