Khamenei endorses relative moderate as Iran's new president

Iran's Supreme Leader has formally endorsed Mr Masoud Pezeshkian as the country's president after he won an election in July by pledging a pragmatic foreign policy and easing of repression at home.

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Mr Pezeshkian, a relative moderate who will be sworn in on July 30, is taking office at a time of escalating Middle East tensions over Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran warned its arch foe Israel on July 28 against what it called any new adventure in Lebanon, after the Israeli authorities blamed Hezbollah for a rocket attack on July 27 that hit a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, killing 12 people, and vowed a heavy response.

Hezbollah denied any responsibility for the strike.