Iran invites Western leaders to presidential inauguration

Islamic Republic sends out invitations for August 14 swearing-in of president-elect Hasan Rouhani; Israel presumably not on guest list

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s foreign ministry says the Islamic Republic has sent invitations to all the world’s leaders to attend the August 4 inauguration of its new president.

Spokesman Abbas Araghchi was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying Sunday that American and European leaders and officials were among those invited to the swearing-in of Hasan Rouhani.

Rouhani has pledged to follow a “path of moderation” and promised greater openness over the country’s nuclear program, which has placed it at odds with the West.

Araghchi did not elaborate as to which individual leaders would be invited. Officials in Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognize, would presumably not be included.

Rouhani won a landslide victory in June 14 presidential elections. He replaces Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, first elected in 2005.