'US Sanctions Against Iran Must Be Lifted', Raisi Demands

During the inauguration ceremony held on Thursday, President Ebrahim Raisi assured that U.S. sanctions against Iran must be lifted.

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"We support any diplomatic plan that achieves this goal," he said, insisting that his country's nuclear program is peaceful.

The latest round of negotiations to reinstate the 2015 nuclear deal ended in Vienna on June 20. Since then, the negotiating parties have not made any contacts pending the transfer of power in Iran.

The current negotiation process seeks to find a mechanism for the United States to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear deal it abandoned in 2018 when the Trump administration imposed new sanctions on Tehran. Negotiators also expect Iran to return to full compliance with all commitments made to limit the development of its atomic program.

Contrary to what the United States and its allies claim, Raisi reaffirmed that Iran's military capabilities and political influence contribute to creating favorable factors for regional stability and peace.

He also called for resolving Middle East crises through real regional dialogue and without foreign interference, which "does not solve any problems".

In June, Raisi won the presidential election with 62 percent of the vote. His inauguration ceremony, attended by representatives from over 70 countries, came two days after he was ratified in office by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.