Hardline judge poised for Iran presidency in landslide election win
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[June 19, 2021]
DUBAI (Reuters) - Hardline judge
Ebrahim Raisi was heading for a landslide win in Iran's presidential
election on Saturday, as the man he will replace pledged a smooth
transition a day after millions voted in a contest that critics
boycotted over economic woes and political curbs.
With some 90% of the 28.6 million ballots cast in a turnout of 48%
already counted, Raisi's tally was 17.8 million, interior ministry
official Jamal Orfi told a televised news conference, giving him an
unassailable lead.
Raisi, a 60-year-old Shi'ite cleric who is subject to U.S. sanctions for
alleged human rights abuses, had been widely tipped to win the contest,
thanks to the endorsement of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Outgoing President Hassan Rouhani visited Raisi at his office to
congratulate him, and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he
would lead Iran well.
"We will stand by and cooperate fully with the president-elect for the
next 45 days, when the new government takes charge," Rouhani was quoted
as saying by state media.
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Raisi's election comes at a critical time.
Iran and six major powers are in talks to revive their 2015 nuclear
deal. Then U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in 2018 and
reimposed crippling sanctions that have squeezed Iran's oil income.
Raisi offered no detailed political or economic programme during his
election campaign, but has backed the revival of the nuclear pact, a
development that would bring an easing of U.S. sanctions that have
crushed the economy.
"We will make every effort in the new government to solve the problem of
people’s livelihoods." he was quoted as saying by state media.
Khamenei, not the president, has the last say on all issue of state such
as Iran's foreign and nuclear policies.
Appointed by the Supreme Leader to the high-profile job of judiciary
chief in 2019, Raisi was placed under U.S. sanctions a few months later
over human rights violations including the executions of thousands of
political prisoners in the 1980s and the violent suppression of unrest
in 2009, events in which he played a part according to human rights
groups.
Iran has never acknowledged the mass executions, and Raisi himself has
never publicly addressed allegations about his role.
Raisi's sole moderate rival in Friday four-man election, former central
bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati, was on 2.4 million votes, behind former
Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei who was in second place on
3.3 million, Orfi said.
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![](../images/061921PIX/news_m57.jpg)
Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi looks on at a polling station
during presidential elections in Tehran, Iran June 18, 2021. Majid
Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
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Khamenei, not the president, has the last say on all state matters
like foreign and nuclear policies.
LACK OF CHOICE
Hoping to boost their legitimacy, the country's clerical rulers had
urged people to turn out and vote on Friday, but dissidents inside
and abroad said popular anger over economic hardship and curbs on
freedoms kept many Iranians at home.
Activists fear Raisi's presidency could usher in more repression.
With some 28.6 million Iranians out of 59 million eligible voters
participating in the election, the 48% turnout was slightly over
what was expected by analysts.
Khamenei said that figure demonstrated public support for Iran's
establishment.
Another deterrent for many pro-reform voters was a lack of choice,
after a hardline election body barred heavyweight moderates and
conservatives from standing.
Analysts said the exclusions by the Guardian Council cleared the way
for Raisi's expected victory.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Friday: "Iranians were
denied their right to choose their own leaders in a free and fair
electoral process" - a likely reference to the disqualification of
candidates.
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Analysts say the election win could increase Raisi's chances of
succeeding Khamenei, who himself served two terms as president
before becoming supreme leader upon founder of the Islamic
Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's 1989 death.
(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; editing by John Stonestreet)
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