Iran’s new President, Ebrahim Raisi, has been sworn into office, following his election victory in June.
Mr Raisi, a hardline cleric, succeeds Hassan Rouhani, seen in the West as a relative moderate.
His election came amid a record low turnout, with many Iranians either boycotting the polls or not voting out of apathy or disillusionment.
The 60-year-old is close to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has been touted as a possible successor.
A former Judiciary Chief, Mr Raisi has been heavily criticised over his human rights record. Campaign groups have accused him of involvement in the executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.
Report says Mr Raisi was one of four judges who sat on secret tribunals that came to be known as the “Death Committee” which condemned the prisoners to death. He has said the sentences were justified because then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had issued a fatwa or religious ruling.
The US imposed sanctions on Mr Raisi in 2019 for alleged human rights abuses.
His election also came at a time of growing challenges for Iran, whose economy has been crippled by US-led sanctions.
There are also heightened tensions with foreign powers who have blamed Iran for a deadly drone attack on a tanker near Oman last week, which Iran has denied.
In his Inaugural speech, Raisi vowed to ensure that Iran would continue to “resist the expansionist policies by the arrogant, oppressive powers” and would stand against oppression everywhere, “in Europe, America, Yemen, Africa, Syria, or in Palestine.”
He also insisted that the Iranian nuclear program was peaceful, and called for international sanctions against Iran to be lifted.
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