Iranian President-Elect Hassan Rouhani Delivers Diplomatic Talk at First News Conference

Iran’s new president Monday held his first press conference since his election victory.

It wasn’t filled with ominous messages aimed at the United States which was the hallmark of outgoing Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Hassan Rouhani was more diplomatic in his statements.

“The new government feels that a new opportunity for interacting with the world has been created by the people, by their votes,” he said. “I think all countries will use this opportunity, because in today’s world, where there’s a lot of tensions, engaging with the Islamic Republic of Iran, will serve both Iran, and the region, and the world.”

Rana Rahimpour is a reporter for BBC Persian TV in London.

She followed Rouhani’s election and his press conference Monday in Tehran.

She said the president-elect sailed through the event remarkably diplomatically, even when a pro-opposition heckler interrupted him.