Iran’s moderate President Hassan Rouhani has been re-elected for a second term, the interior minister has confirmed.
Mr Rouhani won 23.5 million votes in the hard-fought contest, compared to 15.8 million for his main rival Ebrahim Raisi.
After his victory, Mr Rouhani vowed to deliver on his campaign promises of creating a freer society and improving the economy.
He
wrote on Twitter: “Iran’s great nation. You are the real winners of the
election… I shall remain loyal to my commitments to you.”
wrote on Twitter: “Iran’s great nation. You are the real winners of the
election… I shall remain loyal to my commitments to you.”
Although
the powers of the elected president are limited by the
Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who outranks him, the scale of Mr
Rouhani’s victory gives the pro-reform camp a strong mandate.
the powers of the elected president are limited by the
Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who outranks him, the scale of Mr
Rouhani’s victory gives the pro-reform camp a strong mandate.
Mr
Rouhani, who won 57% to Mr Raisi’s 38% of the vote, was tipped in
Iranian media as a potential successor for the 77-year-old Supreme
Leader, who has been in power since 1989.
Rouhani, who won 57% to Mr Raisi’s 38% of the vote, was tipped in
Iranian media as a potential successor for the 77-year-old Supreme
Leader, who has been in power since 1989.
The nuclear agreement Mr
Rouhani’s government reached with global powers in 2015, under which
most international sanctions have been lifted in return for Iran curbing
its nuclear programme, is now likely to remain safe.
Rouhani’s government reached with global powers in 2015, under which
most international sanctions have been lifted in return for Iran curbing
its nuclear programme, is now likely to remain safe.
The result,
which means a second four-year term, also delivers a setback to the
Revolutionary Guards, the powerful security force that controls a vast
industrial empire in Iran.
which means a second four-year term, also delivers a setback to the
Revolutionary Guards, the powerful security force that controls a vast
industrial empire in Iran.
However, Mr Rouhani stills faces the
same restrictions on his ability to transform Iran that prevented him
from delivering substantial social change in his first term and thwarted
reform efforts by one of his predecessors, Mohammad Khatami.
same restrictions on his ability to transform Iran that prevented him
from delivering substantial social change in his first term and thwarted
reform efforts by one of his predecessors, Mohammad Khatami.
The Supreme Leader has the power to veto all policies and ultimate control of the security forces.
Sky News
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