Speaking on Thursday at the inauguration ceremony of the President before the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Ayatollah Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi stated that the new government today stands on a height that a civilisation with several thousand years of backgrounds has built, saying, "At the beginning of the new century and the beginning the second step of the revolution, I am very proud to have been honoured by the people and with their vote to protect such a heritage”. Emphasising that the election is the beginning of people’s participation, not the end of it, Ayatollah Raisi said, "The message of the Iranian people in the 18 June election was the message of change and justice”. The President added, "The Iranian nation stood against the East and the West to prove that religious democracy is a new way of governing that can bring independence and freedom, religion and the world, tradition and progress together”. Ayatollah Raisi pointed out that the great Iran is entering a new century in which the sun of religious democracy has risen for more than 40 years and is now in the period of excellence and completion of its movement at the beginning of the second step. “The dawn of the Islamic Revolution of Iran marked a new chapter of freedom, political participation and democracy in the history of our country,” he said. He added, “The new government today stands on a height that a civilisation with several thousand years of backgrounds has built”. Ayatollah Raisi said, "At the beginning of the new century and the beginning of the second step of the revolution, I am very proud to have been entrusted with the protection of such a precious heritage by the vote of the heroic nation of Iran and I thank God Almighty for bestowing His blessings on this servant and gave me a great opportunity to serve the people”. Emphasising that the election is the beginning of the people's participation, not the end of it, and the people's government will follow the will of the people and their message in this election, the president said, "The will of the people was independence and resistance to the extravagance of the arrogant and oppressive powers. At the same time, one must be committed to constructive and extensive interaction with the whole world”. Ayatollah Raisi pointed out, "People ask us to fulfil our promise to fulfil a government of justice, anti-corruption, and anti-discrimination, caring, program-oriented, and science-seeking”. The President said, "We are the true defenders of human rights, and we do not accept silence against oppression and crime and the violation of the rights of innocent and defenceless human beings". Dr Raisi stated oppression, whether it be in the heart of Europe and in the United States, whether in Africa or Yemen, whether in Syria or Palestine, we will stand by the oppressed, adding, "People want their social and cultural freedoms to be pursued diligently. The people want the Islamic Revolution to be realised in the true sense of the word, and all the features of the Islamic Revolution to be visible in the structures, processes and beliefs of the statesmen”. Dr Raisi also said that in this historic meeting and in the presence of the dear and revolutionary representatives of the nation and in the presence of esteemed foreign guests, I would like to point out the approach of the people's government in the field of foreign policy, saying, "We use all the tools of national power, including diplomacy and intelligent interaction with the world, to ensure the national interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran”. The President called the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region a security-building factor and said, "Iran's regional capacities support peace and stability in the countries and will be used only to counter the threat of domineering and oppressive powers. The crises of the region must be resolved through real intra-regional dialogue and on the basis of ensuring the rights of nations”. Ayatollah Raisi said that the interference of foreigners in the region not only does not solve any problem, but is the problem itself, adding, "I extend a hand of friendship and brotherhood to all countries in the region, especially neighbours, and I warmly shake their hands". Pointing out that the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran is completely peaceful, the President said, "The Islamic Republic, according to the fatwa of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, prohibits nuclear weapons and such weapons have no place in the defence strategy of the Islamic Republic”. Dr Raisi stated, "The policy of pressure and sanctions will not cause the Iranian people to give up pursuing their legal rights, including the right to development. Sanctions against Iran must be lifted and we will support any diplomatic plan that achieves this goal”. Emphasising that the Islamic Republic of Iran considers neighbouring countries and nations as its relatives, Ayatollah Raisi said, "We consider the promotion of relations with neighbouring countries as the most important and main priority of our foreign policy and we favour their dignity and excellence. Diplomacy must strengthen the bonds among nations of the region and strengthen their common grounds in the fields of economy, culture, science and technology”. The President continued, "The world is changing and the interests of nations depend on understanding the new world and strategic interaction with emerging powers, and a successful foreign policy will be a balanced foreign policy". Dr Raisi sincerely thanked all the guests, especially the families of the martyrs and high military and national officials and foreign guests of the ceremony. In the end, the President emphasised that in the implementation of the Supreme Leader's order regarding speed in introducing the members of the government and the cabinet, the list of proposed cabinet members will be presented to the parliament next week and at the earliest opportunity, before the deadline.