The Iranian parliament on Wednesday inaugurated Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a second term as president. According to the AP, parliament speaker Ali Larijani opened the ceremony, after a cleric recited verses from the Quran.
According to Larijani, the inauguration will "open a new chapter" for Iran.
Opposition groups have called protesters to the streets Wednesday to coincide with the inauguration. A massive security operation held outside parliament and other areas of the capital.
Meanwhile, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs called Ahmadinejad the 'elected leader' of Iran when asked if President Obama would recognize his disputed re-election. “This was a decision and a debate ongoing in Iran by Iranians, they were going to choose their leadership,” Gibbs said. “He's the elected leader,” he added.
Nevertheless, Gibbs noted that the US will not congratulate Ahmadinejad on his new term in office.
