ALBAWABA - Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, officially endorsed reformer Masoud Pezeshkian as the Islamic Republic's ninth president on Sunday.
In a message read by the director of Khamenei's office, he said: "I endorse the vote (for) the wise, honest, popular and scholarly Mr. Pezeshkian, and I am appointing him as the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran".
The endorsement event was conducted in Tehran, attended by prominent Iranian officials and foreign ambassadors, and carried live on state television.
It took place as most national institutions, banks, and government offices were closed countrywide on Sunday to combat a severe heatwave. Following the ceremony, interim President Mohammad Mokhber turned over formal duties to Pezeshkian.
During his presidential campaign, Pezeshkian promised to attempt to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with the US and other international powers, which limited Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
In a recent article, Pezeshkian urged "constructive relations" with European countries, despite accusing them of failing to meet agreements to reduce the impact of US sanctions.
