Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in for a second term on August 5, 2009. The 52-year-old took the oath of office for another four years at a ceremony in parliament after his landslide election victory in June that triggered the worst turmoil in the country’s history.

Mr Ahmadinejad in his speech outlining his plans for the future said he would continue to resist ‘oppressive powers,’ dismissing the US stance towards Iran and hailing his election as a sign of major change in Iran. According ot witnesses, prominent opposition leaders did not attend the ceremony, and outside a force of about 1,000 riot police and Basij volunteer militiamen used pepper spray on demonstrators who claim his election was rigged.

The ceremony was also boycotted by powerful cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mr Ahmadinejad’s main challenger during the presidential election Mir Hossein Mousavi.

One can hope that Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not try to use his position as President of Iran to further weaken the Iran’s relationships with other countries. United States and Iran should come to negotiation table to resolve all the issues through talks. The region is already suffering from the burning wounds of Iraq invasion and war in Afghanistan spread to the bordering areas of Pakistan.