On August 3, 2005, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Seyed Ali Khamenei confirmed Dr. Mahmood Ahmadinejad as Iran’s sixth President. In accordance with Iran’s constitution, the Supreme Leader must sign a decree formalizing the election of the President of the Republic by the people. Senior government officials, ranking army officials and a number of Tehran-based foreign diplomats attended the ceremony.

Following the formal authorization, Ahmadinejad gave a speech naming four areas upon which his government will be based; “justice”, “devotion with God’s people”, “service to Iranians” and “development of the country both spirituality and materiality.”

Ahmadinejad’s government will seek to expand “justice” in numerous areas, in accordance with the pure culture of Islam. The new President has steadfastly asserted that his government will seek justice in the distribution of opportunities and resources to all the regions according privations and capacities, elimination of poverty, and a campaign against discrimination and corruption in the administrative bodies.

With respect to “devotion with God’s people,” Ahmadinejad believes that if kindness and devotion, friendship and brotherhood, and a respect for the rights of others were stable in society, then there would not be any conflicts, revenge, jealousy, shortchange and unfairness. He added that with the help of a religious and nationalist culture he will distribute the spirit of brotherhood, kindness and connection among the people.

Ahmadinejad confirmed that he will defend the rights of citizenship inside and outside of the country and will protect the independence and national interest of the country and the culture and Islam. He has said that Iran's policy will be based on Iran's national interest, an indication that he will be less inclined toward compromise and negotiation. However, he has been careful not to spark unnecessary fears and continues to mention peace and moderation. He said that Iran, does not want to fight with any country or nationality, but the powerful counties especially the United States should know that Iran will defend its rights.

The Supreme Leader conferred the inauguration with a speech, highlighting the importance of voter participation in the Ninth Presidential election. He stressed that widespread participation neutralized Iran’s adversaries, especially President Bush who urged a boycott of the election. Ayatollah Khamenei named “justice” as Islam’s main principle and the major goal of the Islamic revolution. His speech echoed Ahmadinejad’s campaign promises that spoke of “justice” as the primary responsibility of government. The new president will have a number of challenges ahead as he seeks to implement his platform of social and economic reforms.

Iran pulled back from an earlier announcement it planned an imminent resumption of sensitive nuclear activities, amid warnings that such a move would spark an international crisis. The E.U. threatened to break off talks with Tehran on a comprehensive bilateral agreement if the plant begins operating again.

Iran's intention to resume uranium conversion, the precursor to enrichment, has caused grave concern in European countries which have warned Tehran could be hauled before the UN Security Council and face possible sanctions.

The IAEA, whose inspectors are currently in Iran on a routine mission, said it would take a week for its team to put in place the necessary checks to monitor Iran's resumption of the uranium conversion.

According to the IAEA, Brussels had not requested a special meeting of the IAEA governing council on Iran which could pass the case on from the member states to the U.N. Security Council. But on Tuesday, Britain, France and Germany's foreign ministers said they would call for an emergency IAEA board of governor's meeting and may refer the issue to the U.N. Security Council, which could decide on sanctions against Iran.

Iran's most prominent investigative journalist is reported to be close to death after spending 53 days on hunger strike in protest at his imprisonment. Akbar Ganji whose health conditions have reportedly worsened, refrains from receiving medical treatment, a hospital official said in Tehran on Wednesday. Akbar Ganji was sentenced to six years in prison in 2001 for linking senior Iranian regime officials to a series of murders of writers and intellectuals.

Massoud Moghadassi, deputy prosecutor in Tehran, was shot dead in his car by at least one person after leaving work on Tuesday afternoon. Moghadassi had sentenced Akbar Ganji, a dissident journalist who is currently on hunger strike, to 10 years behind bars for implicating regime officials in the murders of opposition figures, but the sentence was later reduced to six years.

Abdolfattah Soltani, one of the lawyers representing imprisoned journalist Akbar Ganji and the family of photographer Zahra Kazemi who died in police custody, has been secretly detained since 30 July 2005. At the time of his arrest, he was staging a sit- in at the Tehran Bar Association to protest an arrest warrant issued for him. Since then, Soltani has reportedly been held in a part of Evin prison - section 209 - reserved for intelligence purposes.

Ayatollah Sharoudi, the head of the Iranian judiciary, said on 31 July that Ganji alone was responsible for his current plight. Despite appeals from the international community and former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hachemi Rafsandjani, judicial authorities have so far rejected any possibility of an early release for Ganji.