Iranian president urges West to drop sanctions

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addressed Western nations Sunday in his inauguration speech, calling on the West to abandon the "language of sanctions" in dealing with the country's uranium enrichment program and engage in dialouge instead.

Rouhani, a moderate cleric who won in a landslide victory in the June 14 presidential elections, spoke after being sworn in as president in an open session of parliament.

"If you seek a suitable answer, speak to Iran through the language of respect, not through the language of sanctions," the president said in a speech broadcast live by Iranian state television.

Rouhani, a veteran of Iranian politics, was the country's top nuclear negotiator a decade ago.

After his inaugural address, the U.S. said it was ready to cooperate with Rouhani’s government if it were serious about engagement.

"The inauguration of President Rouhani presents an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community's deep concerns over Iran's nuclear program," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.

The statement added that if Iran's new government was ready for "serious discussions" over a peaceful solution to this standoff, "it will find a willing partner in the U.S."

Western powers are hoping that Rouhani's ascent to the presidency signals a readiness in Tehran to seek a compromise over its nuclear program, which Western nations suspect may have military objectives. Iran denies any such objectives, however, and is demanding that the West set the stage for diplomatic compromise by easing sanctions.

In Tehran, Rouhani said his goal was to improve the lives of ordinary Iranians, whom he acknowledged were under "a lot of economic pressure" because of harsh U.S. and EU sanctions over Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium

"The people want to live better, to have dignity and to enjoy a stable life. They want to regain their deserved position among nations," said Rouhani, who has promised above all else to stick to the path of moderation. "The respected people of Iran voted for moderation and distancing from extremism."

Rouhani, who formally took office on Saturday, presented parliament with his cabinet line-up after his address the next day, choosing mostly experienced technocrats.

Officially, he had two weeks from Sunday to name his cabinet, the political breadth of which is seen as a testament to his priorities.

The conservative-dominated parliament now has 10 days to review the nominations, but media reports say MPs are keen to start voting within a week or less.

Quoting the leader of Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, Rouhani said in his speech "everything must be based on the people’s vote. That’s the benchmark and the yardstick."

Rouhani, who holds a PhD from Scotland, appointed as chief of staff Mohammad Nahavandian, a U.S.-educated Iranian who has residency in the country through a green card. He is expected to play a leading role in coordinating Rouhani's economic policies.

Iran’s former United Nations ambassador Mohammad Javad Zarif, who holds a degree from the University of Denver, has been appointed foriegn minister.

Al Jazeera and wire services