Syria to send senior delegation to Rouhani’s inauguration ceremony

A high-ranking delegation from Syria is due to visit Iran to take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President-elect Hassan Rouhani on August 4, Syrian Ambassador to Tehran Adnan Mahmoud announced on Saturday. Speaking to FNA in Tehran today, the Syrian envoy said Damascus has decided to send a senior delegation to the inauguration of the new Iranian president. He said as soon as he receives the necessary information and names of the Syrian officials who will be attending Rouhani’s swearing-in ceremony, he will inform the media. Rouhani’s swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to be held on August 4, one day after his endorsement by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Araqchi announced last Sunday that Tehran has invited leaders and senior officials of all the world states to Rouhani's inauguration ceremony. “All the heads and high-ranking officials of the world states have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian president-elect,” Araqchi said. He further added that invitation letters have first been sent to the regional countries, as relations with the neighboring and regional nations stand atop the list of Iran's foreign policy priorities. Rouhani emerged victorious in Iran's June 14 presidential election, which was marked by a high voter turnout. He won 50.7 percent of the votes. The Interior Ministry put voter turnout at 72.7 percent. The Iranian president-elect currently represents Ayatollah Khamenei in the Supreme National Security Council and is also a member of the Expediency Council and the Assembly of Experts. He is the president of the Expediency Council's Center for Strategic Research as well.