President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that Iran's presidential election displayed the Islamic Republic's willingness to interact with the international community.

In his first speech after winning re-election, Rouhani said the vote on Friday showed that Iranians rejected calls by his hardline opponents to stop reforms.

In his live speech, carried by state TV, Rouhani also praised former president Mohammad Khatami, in defiance of a ban imposed against mentioning the reformist leader or publishing his pictures.

Reuters