Al-Monitor- Hassan Rouhaniwas inauguratedfor asecond presidential termduring an Aug.5ceremony at Irans parliament. During a 30-minute speech, he spoke of more cooperation with the world. It was a relatively mild speech, with the exception of his vowing to reciprocate against sanctions and his stating that this was the era of the mother of all negotiations and not the mother of allbombs.
On Iraniansocial media and in news reports, much of the substance of Rouhanis speech was overshadowed, however, by events taking place on the sidelines of the inauguration. A number of Reformist parliamentarians from the List of Hope factionenthusiastically lined up to take pictures and selfies with the EUs top diplomat,Federica Mogherini, who was instrumental in negotiating thenuclear dealbetween Iran and the six world powers.
Mogherini was seated in the center of the parliament floor, where seats had been placed for hundreds of foreign officials and official guests of the Iranian government. The legislators were physically separated from the guests by the parliament's stadium-like seating and by desks. This arrangement forced a few members of parliament to undertake someuncomfortable physical maneuvering. One parliamentarian, Farajollah Rajabi, had to twist and contort his body,while sitting on the counter and leaning on a screen, to get closer to Mogherini and take a selfie with her in the background. Helater apologized.