Tehran, Aug 5 (DPA) Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in Wednesday for a second four-year presidential term.

The swearing-in ceremony, held in the Iranian parliament, was overshadowed by continued allegations of fraud in the June 12 presidential election.

A large number of police and voluntary Basij militia forces formed a tight security cordon in the streets around the parliament in central Tehran in anticipation of protests against the president.

In his inaugural address, Ahmadinejad referred to the Western states that have so far declined to congratulate him on his re-election.

'Nobody in Iran is waiting for any congratulations from your side,' Ahmadinejad said.

The leaders of several Western countries - including Britain, France and Germany - have refused to congratulate Ahmadinejad because of the charges of fraud by the opposition, which have prompted protests, in which more than 20 people have been killed. More than 1,000 critics were arrested, and more than 100 of them are still in jail.

'We neither care about your grumpy approach nor about your smiles and congratulations,' the president said.

Ahmadinejad said that some Western powers gambled away their credibility by their interference in the election process.

While ignoring the continuing protests against him, the president said that the huge popular turnout in the election was an acknowledgement of the 1979 Islamic revolution and 'the political course of the last four years'.

'It is not important who voted for whom but important is now keeping the national sentiment and take, hand in hand, a huge step forward towards new horizons and major changes,' he said.

He added that in his second term, the country would stand more decisive against the West and not surrender to any pressure.