Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who championed the country’s nuclear deal with world powers, registered on Friday to run for a second four-year term in the May presidential election, state TV reported.

Rouhani won election by a landslide in 2013 on a platform of ending the Islamic Republic’s diplomatic isolation and creating a freer society. </s> Iran's re-elected president Hassan Rouhani has been sworn in for his second term in an open parliament session.

Rouhani, 68, a moderate cleric who secured re-election on May 19, promised that his country will pursue a "path of coexistence and interaction with the world."

Rouhani was first elected in 2013 with nearly 51 percent of the vote.

Iran's state TV reported that more than 130 high-ranking officials from various countries and international organizations attended the ceremony in Tehran. Among them was EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who coordinates follow-up of Iran's nuclear deal.

It was the first time in Iran's history that a large number of foreign officials attended the president's inauguration ceremony. </s> Iranian President Hassan Rohani will take the oath of office for his second term at a lavish ceremony in Tehran.

Rohani will take the oath in the Iranian parliament building on August 5, the final phase of his installment after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei formally endorsed him on August 3.

Rohani will read out the oath and sign it, before addressing the assembled lawmakers and dignitaries.

Guests from more than 100 countries are expected, a significant achievement for Iran, which has been largely isolated since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Under Iranian law, Rohani will have two weeks to submit his cabinet to parliament for approval.

Rohani was first elected in 2013. He won reelection on May 19 with 57 percent of the vote over conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi.

Based on reporting by TASS and dpa </s> Iranian parliament has inaugurated Hassan Rouhani as president for a second term, who has pledged to fix the country’s economy.

The 68-year-old cleric kissed the Koran and took the oath of office before parliament, senior politicians and foreign dignitaries in Tehran on Saturday, promising to serve his people, protect individual rights and defend the country.

"In the presence of the holy Koran and before the nation, I swear to the omnipotent God to safeguard the official religion of the country and the Islamic Republic as well as the country's constitution," he told parliament and foreign dignitaries in the presidential inauguration ceremony on Aug 5.

Rouhani is expected later in the day to name a cabinet he said would be chosen from figures across the political spectrum.

During his election campaign for a second term in office, Hassan Rouhani pledged to deliver on his campaign promises of creating a freer society and improving the economic situation in the country.

President Hassan Rouhani, who championed a nuclear deal with the world powers during his first term, has faced accusations of a failed accord, which has not benefited the ordinary Iranians.

Although the nuclear accord, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), lifted nuclear related sanctions against Iran, the benefits of the deal have been slow-to-come for many Iranians, as ordinary people argue that they have not felt it in their day-to-day lives.

In the meantime, the US imposed sanctions on Iran have shed shadows over the outcome of the nuclear deal, with President Rouhani vowing to respond to the "US breach of the terms of that deal." </s> Rouhani to be sworn in August 6

Hassan Rouhani will be sworn in as Iran’s new president on August 6, MP Mohammad Javad Abtahi told IRIB news agency May 30.

Rouhani won a landslide election on May 19 with over 23 million votes against his right-wing rival, who garnered 15 million votes, to stay in office for a second term.

Downing inflation from over 40 to about 6 percent as well as his world-class nuclear deal with six powers are part of Rouhani’s first administration legacy. </s> Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will run in upcoming elections for a second term. Rouhani contributed to the landmark nuclear deal with six countries, including the US, in 2015. Hardliners in Iran believe he made too many concessions to reach a deal.Rouhani’s main rival in the elections will be conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi. Irans presidential elections will be held on 19 May. </s> Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has clashed with the country's powerful and conservative judiciary, in a rare public row as tensions rise ahead of this year's presidential election. The moderate Rouhani, who is expected to stand for a second four-year term in the May vote, has targeted the judiciary in a series of public statements over the case of a billionaire businessman on death row for corruption.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Yahoo!. </s> ANKARA, April 14 (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist who championed the country's nuclear deal with world powers, registered on Friday to run for a second four-year term in the May presidential election, state TV reported.

Rouhani won election by a landslide in 2013 on a platform of ending the Islamic Republic's diplomatic isolation and creating a freer society.

The five-day registration period for the May 19 election started on Tuesday and will be followed by a process of vetting of the hopefuls by a hardline watchdog body, The Guardian Council.

Over 860 people have signed up so far for the vote. Several former ministers and hardliner former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are among those who have registered.

Despite months of talks, hardliners have been unable to unite behind a single candidate and Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appears to have not yet intervened to make them do so.

Within Iran's complex mix of clerical rulers and elected officials, Khamenei has the final say on all state matters.

Influential cleric Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian of a powerful organization in charge of Iran´s holiest shrine, appears to be the leading hardline candidate.

An ally of Khamenei, Raisi has yet to register for the vote, however. Prominent conservatives, including parliament speaker Ali Larijani, have thrown their support behind Rouhani. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Hugh Lawson) </s> Iran's President Hassan Rouhani registered on Friday to run for a second four-year term in the country's May election.

A pragmatist who engineered the country's landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Rouhani won the 2013 election by a landslide on a platform of ending the Islamic Republic's diplomatic isolation and creating a freer society.

"Once again, I am here for Iran, for Islam, for freedom, and for more stability in this country. I am urging all Iranians to vote for Iran and for Islam," Rouhani told reporters on Friday.

READ MORE: Will Iranians re-elect Rouhani?

Critics of the nuclear deal say that the supposed economic benefits of lifted sanctions have yet to trickle down to average Iranians, and palpable frustration in the streets has created a potential opening for conservative opponents.

Rouhani has vowed to remain loyal to the nuclear deal.

"From now on, protecting the deal is one of the most important economic and political issues," he said.

Influential Shia leader Ebrahim Raisi, an ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appears to be the leading hardline candidate so far. He also registered to run on Friday.

But despite months of talks, hardliners have been unable to unite behind a single candidate, and Khamenei has not yet intervened to make them do so.

Within Iran's complex mix of clerical rulers and elected officials, Khamenei has the final say on all state matters.

Though Rouhani won in a single round with more than 50 percent of the vote in 2013 - an election in which no other candidate took more than 17 percent - he could face a tougher campaign this time if hardliners join forces against him.

The five-day registration period for the May 19 election began on Tuesday and will be followed by a process of vetting of the hopefuls by a hardline watchdog body, the Guardian Council.

The Guardian Council, which normally does not approve dissidents or women, will announce the final list of candidates by April 27.

More than 950 people have signed up so far for the vote, among them the hardline former Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who registered on Wednesday. </s> The swearing-in ceremony for the reelected President Hassan Rouhani, which is due this Saturday, is to be a more high-profile event than his first, as the level of foreign dignitaries taking part is said to be "unprecedented".

Rouhani will be sworn in for another four years as the chief executive in the parliament in downtown Tehran.

He will receive his endorsement decree from the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a separate ceremony on Thursday.

The president's Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Information Parviz Esmaeili said on Tuesday high-powered delegations from at least 92 countries and organizations are confirmed to attend.

"Present in the event will be 25 delegations from Asia Pacific, 26 from Arab countries and 30 from Europe and Americas," he told IRNA, in addition to 11 delegations from major international entities.

"The number and level of delegations attending such an event is unprecedented," he said.

Among the guests, he said, are eight presidents and 19 parliament speakers, besides dozens of senior government officials and diplomats.

Esmaeili did not elaborate on the states to be represented, but media reports have so far confirmed that Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Palestine, North Korea, Moldavia and Belarus will attend the ceremony.

Officials from four of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely Russia, China, the UK and France, plus Germany, are also to attend.

The five, along with the US, negotiated the July 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that went into effect in January 2016 to settle its lingering dispute with western powers over its nuclear activities.

EU's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, who headed the other side of the Iran deal during two years of talks, is also expected to arrive.

Message to Trump

Lawmaker Alireza Rahimi said on Monday the high-level participation in Rouhani's inauguration conveys an "important message" to the world, at a time when Washington seems to be bent on tightening the screws on Tehran.

In a post on his Telegram channel, Rahimi said the planned presence of Mogherini at the event showed the bloc's resolve to strengthen its ties with Iran and to protect the 2015 deal from the controversial US President Donald Trump who is determined to walk out of the pact to appease his allies Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Hardening the US tone on Iran, Trump has repeatedly hammered the deal and is currently seeking ways to pull out of it.

However, so far, his calls for dismantling the deal or renegotiating the accord have fallen on deaf ears of other signatories to the deal, which are determined to uphold the pact.

Rouhani won the presidential vote in May on a platform of broadening Iran's international engagement and reforming the economy, making pledges to improve the livelihood of ordinary Iranians and curb unemployment by attracting foreign investment and technology.

Over 23 million people, from a total of 41 million voters, cast ballots for him to win an emphatic 57% of votes to defeat his main rival, principlist Ebrahim Raeisi.

Tight Security

The Interior Ministry has made strict security arrangements for the event, a top official said, adding that the level of security at the parliament compounds has been raised for the inauguration day.

Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Hossein Zolfaqari told Tasnim News Agency on Monday the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is in charge of security of the ceremony, and the Intelligence Ministry, police and air defense force have also been assigned tasks to support it.

The inauguration day has been declared a holiday in the capital.

"All state and public institutions and organizations, except those extending emergency services, will be closed on Saturday to facilitate the movement of dignitaries and ensure the convenience of Tehrani citizens," Cabinet Secretary Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei told IRNA on Monday.

Security in Iran's biggest city is heightened since the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group attacked the parliament and Imam Khomeini Mausoleum early June, the first major terrorist operation in decades, which prompted Iran's first missile strike outside its borders after the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88) against IS positions in eastern Syria.

Rouhani is preparing to propose his nominees for 18 ministerial posts to the parliament for a vote of confidence on the inauguration day.

The president has vowed to pick a "young" and "inclusive" Cabinet, reportedly saying that more than 50% of the incumbent ministers will be replaced. He is also expected to induct women ministers.

After Rouhani announces his list of ministers, the lawmakers have a week to examine their credentials.

Afterwards, the aspirants will appear before the parliament to outline their plans of action for securing confirmation votes.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani takes the oath of office to start his second four-year term.