By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@AttaKenare.
Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s hardline judiciary chief, has won a landslide victory in the country’s presidential election, a vote that both propelled the supreme leader’s protege into Tehran’s highest civilian position and saw the lowest turnout in the Islamic republic’s history.
Raisi won 61.95 percent of the vote in Friday’s election on a voter turnout of 48.8 percent.
Raisi, 60, will take office in August, replacing moderate President Hassan Rouhani who was not allowed by the constitution to run for a third consecutive term.
He will take power at a critical time, as Iran seeks to salvage its tattered nuclear deal with major powers and free itself from punishing US sanctions that have driven a sharp economic downturn.
The election of Raisi, himself sanctioned by the United States over human rights abuses, became more of a coronation after his strongest competition found themselves disqualified from running.
Outgoing President Rouhani visited Raisi at his office to congratulate him.
“We will stand by and cooperate fully with the president-elect for the next 45 days, when the new government takes charge (in early August),” state media quoted Rouhani as saying.
United States
The United States said it regretted that Iranians were not able to participate in a “free and fair electoral process” in the country’s presidential election.
A spokesperson for the US Department of State said Washington will nonetheless continue indirect talks with Tehran on rejoining the 2015 nuclear deal.
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Raisi and expressed hopes for “further development of a constructive bilateral cooperation”, according to RIA news agency, citing a press officer at the Russian embassy in Tehran.
Israel
Israel condemned Raisi, saying he was Iran’s “most extremist president to date”.
“The butcher of Tehran, Ebrahim Raisi, has been rightly denounced by the international community for his direct role in the extrajudicial executions of over 30,000 people,” Lior Haiat, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman, said in a statement.
An extremist figure, committed to Iran’s rapidly advancing military nuclear programme, his election makes clear Iran’s true malign intentions, and should prompt grave concern among the international community.”
Hamas
“We congratulate the Islamic Republic of Iran for the success of the democratic process, the holding of the presidential election and the victory of Ebrahim Raisi as Iran’s president,” Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in a statement.
“We wish the Islamic Republic of Iran progress and prosperity. Iran has always been a fundamental and a real supporter of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian resistance.”
United Arab Emirates
“We wish for the Islamic Republic, and for our bilateral relations, stability, continuity and prosperity,” Vice-President and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said in a statement tweeted by Dubai’s media office.
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also sent a message of congratulations to Raisi, state news agency WAM reported.