Iran's president-elect Hassan Rohani said on Monday a new opportunity had been created for friendly relations between the Islamic Republic and the world, and he hoped all countries would take the opportunity to build friendly relations.
"I hope that all countries use this opportunity," he told his first news conference after Friday's presidential election.
Rohani also said that Iran was ready to show more transparency on its nuclear program but was not ready to suspend uranium enrichment.
"Our nuclear programs are completely transparent. But we are ready to show greater transparency and make clear for the whole world that the steps of the Islamic Republic of Iran are completely within international frameworks," he said.
The president-elect Rohani also said the United States must recognize Iran's nuclear rights and pledge not to interfere in its internal affairs before direct talks between the two countries can take place.
"The issue of relations between Iran and America is a complicated and difficult issue," Rohani said. "It is an old wound that needs to be ... healed."
The first news conference held by Rohani ended suddenly when a man in the
audience sprang up and shouted a slogan in favor of reformist leader Mirhossein
Mousavi, held under house arrest since 2011.
"Rohani remember, Mirhossein must be
(present)," the man shouted live on state television as security guards
bundled him away. Rohani left the dais and state television cut to scenes of
people voting and music.
This as King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia congratulated moderate cleric Hassan Rohani on winning Iran's presidential election, hailing what he described as Rohani's wish to improve relations between the two countries, rivals for influence in the oil-rich Gulf.
Ties between world No. 1 oil exporter Saudi Arabia and regional competitor Iran are tense over many issues, notably the war in Syria, where they back rival combatants, political unrest in Bahrain, and a dispute over Iran's pursuit of nuclear power.
The official Saudi Press Agency reported late on Sunday that the king had sent a cable of congratulations wishing Rohani "permanent good health and happiness and the people of Iran steady progress and prosperity."
It added: "The King lauded Rohani's statements on his keenness to cooperate and improve relations between the two countries."
Rohani scored a surprising landslide victory over conservative hardliners in Friday's poll, and will take up the presidency, the highest elected office in Iran's hybrid clerical-republican system, in August.
He succeeds Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Critics have said Ahmadinejad's eight years in office were marked by belligerence and repression. Rohani has said he wants to rehabilitate Iran's foreign relations.
Although Rohani, who was Iran's chief nuclear negotiator from 2003-2005, publicly criticized Ahmadinejad for his confrontational approach to the West, the cleric has made clear he is committed to Iran maintaining its atomic program.
World powers suspect Tehran may be seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability. Iran denies the accusation.
Among other sources of tension, the Sunni Muslim kingdom accuses the Islamic Republic of stirring unrest among minority Saudi Shi'ites. Tehran rejects that charge.
Saudi Arabia also accuses Iran of fomenting unrest in Sunni-ruled Bahrain, where majority Shi'ites have led pro-democracy protests. Iran denies this.
REUTERS