The new Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has pledged to move away from “repeating slogans” in foreign diplomacy.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new foreign minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, Rouhani said that he wanted to change Iranian foreign policy, but this does not mean that Iran would abandon its principles.
"Foreign policy is not carried out by repeating slogans," he said.
"One of the messages of the voters in the presidential election was that they wanted a change in foreign policy. That doesn't mean abandoning our principles but it does mean a change of method.
"We are going to strongly defend our national interests but that has to be done appropriately, precisely and rationally," the president said.
"The public will pay dearly for any foreign policy mistake."