Raisi reasserts Iran's regional policy in swearing-in ceremony

The new head of state reiterated Iran's controversial regional policy, even as it has been at the very core of tensions between the Islamic Republic's hard-line establishment and the West.
Iran's newly elected President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during his swearing in ceremony at the Iranian parliament in the capital Tehran on Aug. 5, 2021.
New Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during his swearing-in ceremony at the Iranian parliament in the capital, Tehran, on Aug. 5, 2021. - ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

Iran's new president, Ebrahim Raisi said the Islamic Republic's regional policy is "a source of security," in a message of defiance to the West, which has been worried about Iran's regional influence as a destabilizing factor.

Raisi made the comments during his inauguration ceremony in the Iranian parliament Aug. 5. According to Iranian media, the event was attended by representatives from over 70 countries, among them Afghan leader Ashraf Ghani and Iraqi President Barham Salih.

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