Iranian president Ahmadinejad's swearing-in ceremony starts

The swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad started in the Majlis (Parliament) hall in Tehran Saturday morning.

Hundreds of high-ranking Iranian political and military officials took part in the inauguration ceremony, including former president Mohammad Khatami, Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel.

Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Chairman of the Guardian Council Ahmad Jannati, Chairman of the Assembly of Experts Ayatollah Ali Meshkini and Judiciary Chief Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi were also present.

Adel and Shahroudi delivered speeches ahead of Ahmadinejad's inaugural.

Ahmadinejad was issued the warrant by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday and has begun administration since then.

After taking oath in the Majlis, Ahmadinejad will have 15 days to introduce members of his cabinet to the parliament, after which the lawmakers will have one week to make decision on the proposed ministers.

Ahmadinejad, a 49-year-old former Tehran mayor, defeated former president Rafsanjani with a landslide victory by garnering 61.69 percent of the total eligible votes in the ninth presidential election in June.

Source: Xinhua