This is the last article you can read this month
You can read more article this month
You can read more articles this month
Sorry your limit is up for this month
Reset on:
Please help support the Morning Star by subscribing here
HARD-LINER Ebrahim Raisi has been elected as the new president of Iran, receiving 62 per cent of the vote in results announced on Saturday.
But just 48 per cent of the eligible population voted in the much-criticised poll, the lowest turnout in the history of the Islamic republic.
Hundreds of candidates had been barred from running in the presidential election with the 12-member Guardian Council ensuring that Mr Raisi, head of the country’s judiciary, faced little credible challenge.
Just four of the seven approved candidates ran, with three withdrawing before the poll.
Mr Raisi will take over from so-called “moderate” president Hassan Rouhani, who had served two terms of office.
His predecessor congratulated the people of Iran on their choice.
“We will stand by and co-operate fully with the president-elect for the next 45 days, when the new government takes charge,” Mr Rouhani said.
Mr Raisi faces the immediate challenge of negotiations over the lifting of US sanctions and the Iran nuclear deal, which had stalled ahead of the election.
