海角大神

Iran鈥檚 President-elect Hassan Rohani has promised to use his victory to transform the Islamic Republic鈥檚 relations with the outside world and with its own citizens.

Three days after听a stunning upset at the polls, Mr. Rohani proclaimed a 鈥渧ictory for moderation鈥�not extremism鈥� that he said will听begin to repair听everything from stalled nuclear talks to US-Iran hostility to Iran鈥檚 caustic internal divisions.

The first-round triumph for the centrist cleric, who won 50.71 percent of the tally against five conservative candidates, prompted jubilant street scenes across Iran.听Rohani thanked Iranians for 鈥渃reating these unforgettable days鈥� at his first official press conference in Tehran today,听where the gray-bearded revolutionary who earned his PhD in Scotland听joked with journalists from behind a wall of microphones.

鈥淭his was not only an election鈥� This was also a declaration of trust, of active participation, and beginning a new chapter,鈥� said Rohani. 鈥淓verybody was saying that the era of sorrow is coming to an end鈥� Everyone was victorious.鈥�

Rohani will not be sworn in until听Aug. 3. And even after that,听all final decisions of state will still be made by Iran鈥檚 Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who portrayed the vote as crucial to defeating 鈥渆nemies鈥� and restoring regime legitimacy after听fraud and violence-tainted elections in 2009.

But Iranian presidents have traditionally been able to set the political tone and granted certain leeway. Rohani 鈥撎齛 former nuclear negotiator close to Khamenei who was active in Iran鈥檚 Islamic revolution long before it took power in 1979 and has been in key positions ever since 鈥� could not have been clearer in his intention to steer the Islamic Republic along a new path.

Healing 'old wounds'

Rohani, who will replace听the combative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,听said the 鈥渙pportunity for interacting with the global community has been created by the people,鈥� and called on other nations to 鈥渢ake advantage鈥� of the change. Among conciliatory words for friend and foe alike, Rohani discussed easing 34 years of mutual hostility with the United States.

鈥淭his is a very old wound鈥�and we need to think about somehow healing this injury,鈥� said Rohani, who was nicknamed the 鈥渄iplomat sheikh鈥� a decade ago. "Wisdom tells us both countries need to think more about the future [and a] way to find solutions to past issues.鈥�

Rohani said he'd like to see an express declaration by the US to 鈥渘ever interfere鈥� in Iran鈥檚 domestic politics, recognition of听Iran鈥檚 right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, and听an end to what Iran sees as听unilateral 鈥渂ullying." In exchange he said Iran might make "confidence building" gestures of its own.

But those have been sore points for decades in Washington, where Iran is accused of meddling against US interests in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and is often charged with pursuing a nuclear weapon 鈥� an allegation that Iran denies.听

Rohani also pledged听to take steps that would help听ease economic sanctions that he called 鈥渙ppressive and unjust.鈥� A raft of global measures engineered by the US and European Union over the nuclear issue have targeted Iran鈥檚 oil exports, central bank and financial transactions.

鈥淥ur nuclear programs of course are completely transparent, but we are ready to show more transparency,鈥� said Rohani.

Rohani and all senior Iranian officials say they reject nuclear weapons,听but have not answered outstanding questions about possible past weapons-related work or provided access to Parchin, a military site of particular interest to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

鈥淲e should build mutual confidence and trust between Iran and other countries,鈥� added Rohani.

Flexibility

The comments signal a likely shift in Iran鈥檚 tactics at nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) that have stalled after 1.5 years. Iran鈥檚 current nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, a presidential candidate who came in third, was听criticized by fellow conservatives for being 鈥渋nflexible鈥� in the talks.

Washington and European capitals have reacted tepidly to Rohani鈥檚 victory with a 鈥渟how me鈥� tone. Secretary of State John Kerry praised the Iranian people and said: "President-elect Rohani pledged repeatedly during his campaign to restore and expand freedoms for all Iranians. In the months ahead, he has the opportunity to keep his promises to the Iranian people."

Supreme Leader Khamenei will make final decisions on nuclear tactics and strategy, but the campaign clashes over the issue, and Rohani鈥檚 forthright comments today, indicate that Khamenei may be using the surprise election result to adjust policies that have failed to yield results. 听

Rohani said that after the vote Iran was in a 鈥渘ew and special situation,鈥� and that it could take 鈥渕any more confidence-building measures.鈥� He also said that 鈥渉opefully鈥� talks with the P5+1 would be 鈥渕ore dynamic,鈥� but that Iran鈥檚 rights will 鈥渁lways be respected鈥� in any deal to limit Iran鈥檚 nuclear work to peaceful uses.

Stitching Iran back together

Rohani also pledged to bridge social and political divides that have been pronounced since the late 1990s and were exacerbated during the 8-year presidency of Mr. Ahmadinejad.

During that time, and especially after the 2009 vote sparked weeks of street battles, reformists and the Green Movement were crushed and kept out of politics.听Rohani听said during the campaign听that the two 2009 presidential candidates and Green Movement leaders that remain under house arrest, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi,听should not remain incarcerated.听Today he said he was 鈥渃onfident鈥� of their release at 鈥渢he right time.鈥�

Rohani thanked the moderates and reformists who voted for him but added 鈥渨e should remember the fact that from now on I am president-elect of the entire Iranian nation." He vowed that his new government would be a meritocracy "beyond factions."

In a veiled reference to听political infighting听sparked by Ahmadinejad,听Rohani said that he would personally 鈥渘ot allow anyone to be insulted." Khamenei, Rohani and Iran鈥檚 most powerful players will hope that the widespread celebrations that greeted the election result will at least halt divisions, if not help foster a degree of unity. 听听

鈥淲e have great people [and] if they have any comments or criticisms, we should not immediately label them enemies鈥�. We need to attract the people,鈥� said Rohani. 鈥淲e have some enemies, but we need to try our utmost to make the enemy understand that they will have to bow down to the Iranian nation, not to show the dagger.鈥�

The president-elect said he was impressed by the 鈥渮eal鈥� he found days before the vote, especially among young Iranians, when he traveled to cities and towns.

鈥淚t means these people love their nation, love their country, love to see progress and to see a proud Iran,鈥� said Rohani. 鈥淭he enemy was witness to this power, and most definitely if there鈥�are those thinking about future antagonism, they will not pursue that [because] the situation has changed from what it used to be.鈥�