Tehran

Iranian reformist politician Masoud Pezeshkian was sworn in on Tuesday (July 30) as the Islamic Republic's ninth president in parliament at a ceremony attended by foreign dignitaries.

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"I as the president, in front of the Holy Koran and the people of Iran, swear to almighty God to be the guardian of the official religion and the Islamic Republic system and the constitution of the country," Pezeshkian said in the ceremony broadcast live on state TV. 

Also read | Iran delivers reformist verdict as cardiac surgeon Pezeshkian wins hearts in presidential elections

Iran has a president and a parliament (Majlis). But unlike modern-day democracies, in Iran, one Supreme Leader exerts both ideological and political control of the entire elected power structure.

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Pezeshkian has replaced the late ultraconservative president Ebrahim Raisi who died in a May helicopter crash.

The reformist politician has been sworn in as Iran's president amid heightened regional tensions over the Gaza war, a dispute with the West over the country's nuclear programme, and domestic discontent over the state of Iran's sanctions-hit economy.

Also read | Masoud Pezeshkian: Iran's heart-specialist president is single dad who stood for Mahsa Amini

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The swearing-in ceremony in Tehran came two days after the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei officially endorsed Pezeshkian and gave the 69-year-old presidential powers.

The event was attended by senior officials from several countries including Armenia, Tajikistan, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Cuba and Brazil. 

European Union envoy Enrique Mora was also present. 

Regional Iran-backed allies were also in attendance, namely Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and the head of the Islamic Jihad Ziyad al-Nakhalah.

Lebanon's Hezbollah movement was represented by the group's deputy secretary general Naim Qassem while Yemen's Houthi rebels sent spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam.

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf gave an explosive speech about what he called Israel's "crimes" in Gaza.

Some Iranians present in parliament chanted: "Death to Israel, Death to America."

(With inputs from agencies)