Iran's President-Elect Rowhani Promises 'New Era'
June 17, 2013
by VOA News
Iran's newly elected president is promising to follow a path of moderation, saying his victory signals a new era for the Iranian people.
Moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani spoke Monday during a televised news conference, his first since his surprise win in Friday's presidential election.
Rowhani said he would "follow the path of moderation and justice, not extremism." He also promised to revive what he called constructive interaction with the rest of the world, and to help fix Iran's faltering economy.
When asked about relations with the United States, Rowhani said the issue is complicated, calling it "an old wound that needs to be healed."
The United States and Western allies suspect Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons and have helped to implement several rounds of sanctions against Iran, which have battered the country's economy. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
In remarks during the news conference and also put out on his English-language Twitter feed, Rowhani said the solution to the impasse about Iran's nuclear program is transparency and mutual respect. His account tweeted, "we can take more steps to make it clear to the world that our nuclear program is within international regulations."
European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton Monday said she was committed to working with Iran's newly elected president to find a diplomatic solution.
During the news conference, Rowhani also was asked about the conflict in Syria. He warned against foreign intervention, saying the crisis must be resolved by the Syrian people.
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