Ebrahim Raisi, former judiciary chief of Iran and a conservative hard-liner, was endorsed as the new president of the country by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday.
Following his landslide victory in the presidential election in June, Raisi was officially confirmed at a ceremony in Tehran as the new president of Iran, which has had tense relations with the international community including the United States over issues such as nuclear development.
In his speech at the ceremony, Raisi acknowledged the deterioration of the economy and said he has "major plans" to reform the country, a report by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said.
"The new government seeks to remove the sanctions but will not let economic conditions rely on financial embargos," he said, referring to crippling sanctions imposed by the United States, according to the report.
The anti-U.S. Muslim cleric, the first conservative hard-liner coming into power in eight years, replaced relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani who had advocated constructive cooperation with the international community.
The Rouhani administration struck a 2015 deal with six major powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- agreeing to limit Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.
The deal initially had a positive impact on the economy. But in 2018, after then President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement, subsequent U.S. sanctions caused rising prices, a plunging currency and high unemployment in Iran.
Raisi has promised to fight poverty and indicated that he would continue indirect talks with the United States on reviving the nuclear deal while calling for sanctions against Iran to be lifted.
But it is seen that Raisi will not make a major compromise in the indirect talks with the United States, which may intensify the confrontation between the two countries.
In addition to sanctions that have damaged Iran's economy, the country has been struggling with a surge in coronavirus infections and other problems such as water shortage amid drought, which have exacerbated public dissatisfaction.
Raisi will be sworn in as the president at parliament on Thursday and form his Cabinet in mid-August.
Current Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who led Iran's talks with the six major powers when they struck the 2015 deal, is likely to be replaced by a conservative hard-liner, according to sources close to the matter.
Related coverage:
Japan foreign minister eyes visit to Iran in Aug.: sources
Iran's president-elect Raisi demands U.S. lift all sanctions
Iran elects conservative hard-liner Raisi as new president
