India, Iran pledge to deepen ties as Rouhani assumes office

Iran's new President Hassan Rouhani today pledged to deepen ties with India, hours after he took the oath before a galaxy of world leaders, including Vice President Hamid Ansari.
Ansari, who was earlier India's ambassador to Iran, called on Rouhani during which the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties.
Reflecting warm bilateral relations, Ansari flew into the Iranian capital by a special plane to represent India at the inauguration of the 64-year-old moderate cleric as Iran's seventh president.
He was welcomed by deputy foreign minister Abbas Garchy. Ansari also met Ali Larijani, speaker of the Majlis.
India's representation was upgraded after earlier plans for External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to attend were dropped.

Soon after his victory in the June 14 Presidential polls, Rouhani had pledged to expand relations with India calling it his foreign policy priority. He visited India in 2002.

India is Iran's second largest oil customer after China and purchases around USD billion worth of Iranian crude oil every year.
Rouhani was a surprise winner in the June 14 elections.
The former nuclear negotiator, who has committed himself to greater international engagement for Iran which is battling sanctions over its nuclear programme, was administered the oath in the Parliament by Sadeq Larijani, the head of the country's judicial system.
Rouhani was officially endorsed by the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday for a four-year term.

After being sworn in, Rouhani told the Milli Majlis, "Iran is seeking peace and stability in the region. Iran has been a cornerstone for stability in this turbulent region."
Rouhani said that his country opposes any government and political change through the use of force, oppression, hegemony and military intervention.
Rouhani assumed the Presidentship at a time when Western nations are stepping up pressure on Iran, accusing it of pursuing a nuclear programme as a cover for a drive for a weapons capability.
Iran insists that its programme is for peaceful purposes such as power generation and medical purposes only.

In his first public comments after assuming power, Rouhani said, "The only path to interact with Iran is through negotiations on equal grounds, reciprocal trust-building, mutual respect and reducing hostilities".
"If you want a proper answer, do not speak with Iran with the language of sanctions but with the language of respect," he said, adding Iran would "not surrender to sanctions, nor be threatened with war.