Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that his recent cabinet line-up represents all the Iranian people, describing it as a "national consensus government" during a parliamentary session on Saturday.

"The government that has been introduced to the parliament today is a government of national consensus, and as I said in the inauguration ceremony, the government of national consensus considers itself as representative of all the Iranian people," Pezeshkian said while vetting his list of ministerial nominees. 

"The national consensus government is obliged to ensure the citizenship rights of all Iranian people and is committed to securing national interests," he added.

The newly-inaugurated President highlighted the pillars to ensure the convergence between the government and other power branches of the political system through abiding by the constitution, achieving the objectives of the Vision Plan as outlined by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and implementing the 7th Development Plan. 

Pezeshkian also emphasized that the system's current policies and measures will not be able to solve Iran's ongoing problems, asserting that the people's satisfaction with his administration's plans is important to him. 

He added that some of the country's issues stem from inside the country rather than from outside; i.e. from foreign powers.

Policy plans

Upon winning the elections in early July, Pezeshkian published an op-ed piece in the Tehran Times in which he outlined his government's outlook and policy.

In the piece, he said his policy would focus on opportunities to maintain balanced relations with all nations in line with Iran's economic and national interests, in addition to the needs of regional and global peace and security, saying he "will welcome sincere efforts to alleviate tensions and will reciprocate good-faith with good-faith."

He also expressed criticism toward neighboring countries depleting their resources through engaging in unnecessary competition, arms races, or "containment" efforts against each other.

"Instead, we will aim to create an environment where our resources can be devoted to the progress and development of the region for the benefit of all."

Pezeshkian mentioned that, following the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran "severed ties with two apartheid regimes, Israel and South Africa," a decision "motivated by respect for international law and fundamental human rights."

While "Israel" remains an "apartheid" regime to this day, Pezeshkian said it added genocide to "a record already marred by occupation, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, settlement-building, nuclear weapons possession, illegal annexation, and aggression against its neighbors."