Iran's President Pezeshkian makes first appointments, names First Vice President

Tehran: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose election was endorsed by Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday, has started making appointments to his administration.

He named former minister Mohammad Reza Aref as the First Vice President, Iranian media reported.

“Based on Article 120 of the Constitution and considering your competence, valuable managerial and executive experiences, I will appoint you to the post of first vice president,” Pezeshkian said in his decree.

Aref, 72, has also served as First Vice President under President Mohammad Khatami in his second term (2001-2005). He was Telecommunications Minister in Khatami's first term (1997-2001).

Pezeshkian also named former Education Minister Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei as his Chief of Staff. Haji-Mirzaei had held the post of minister in the Hasan Rouhani regime (2017-19).

The President, who also took over the office after his endorsement by the Supreme Leader, will have his inauguration on Tuesday.

A total of 70 foreign delegations are slated to attend the ceremony, including 10 headed by the Presidents or Prime Ministers, 15 delegations headed by the presiding officers of Parliaments, 16 delegations headed by Vice Presidents, Deputy Prime Ministers, deputy presiding officers of parliaments and ministers, 17 delegations headed by Special Envoys, as well as Secretary Generals and Ambassadors and 12 delegations, headed by resident or non-resident Ambassadors.