Resounding victory seen as public approval of President’s moderate policies

Friday’s presidential election was largely a referendum on Hassan Rouhani’s more moderate political policies, which paved the way for the landmark 2015 nuclear deal that won Iran relief from some sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

His resounding victory suggests that Iranians largely approve of the President’s policies. Mr. Rouhani has come to embody more liberal and reform-minded Iranians’ hopes for greater freedoms and openness at home, and better relations with the outside world.

Rouhani’s first comment on the win came on Twitter, which is banned by government censors but followed widely by Iranians able to get around the curbs, highlighting the limits on expression that still exist in Iran despite his promises for greater openness. “Great nation of Iran, you are the winner of the election. I humbly bow down before you. I will remain loyal to my promises to you,” he wrote.

Iran’s President is the second-most powerful figure within the country’s political system. He is subordinate to the supreme leader, who is chosen by a clerical panel and has the ultimate say over all matters of state.

Election officials repeatedly extended voting hours until midnight to accommodate long lines of voters, some of whom said they waited hours to cast their ballots.

Ebrahim Raisi, Mr. Rouhani’s nearest challenger, is close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, who stopped short of endorsing anyone in the election. Mr. Raisi ran a populist campaign, vowing to fight corruption and fix the economy while boosting welfare payments to the poor.

Many of Mr. Raisi’s critics pointed to his alleged role condemning inmates to death during Iran’s 1988 mass execution of thousands of political prisoners, and feared a victory for the hard-liner could worsen human rights in Iran and put the country on a more confrontational path with the West.

Two other candidates

The two other candidates left in the race, Mostafa Mirsalim, a former Culture Minister, and Mostafa Hashemitaba, a pro-reform figure who previously ran for President in 2001, respectively netted 4,78,000 and 215,000 votes each.

“Rouhani will apply his ever-increasing efforts for the dignity of Iran” in his next term, the reformist said. The Tehran Stock Exchange rallied after the election results came out, extending a recent winning streak to close nearly 1% higher at its highest level in three months.

Although considered a moderate by Iranian standards, Mr. Rouhani was nonetheless the favourite pick for those seeking more liberal reforms in the conservative Islamic Republic.

Assad’s letter of support

One of the first world leaders to congratulate Mr. Rouhani was Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose government is backed by Tehran.

A statement released by Mr. Assad’s office said the Syrian President sent a letter to Mr. Rouhani congratulating him for the “confidence that the Iranian people gave to him to go forward in boosting Iran’s status in the region and the world.”

Iran’s President oversees a vast state bureaucracy employing more than 2 million people, is charged with naming Cabinet members and other officials to key posts, and plays a significant role in shaping both domestic and foreign policy.

PTI adds:

Modi sends wishes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Hassan Rouhani on his re-election as the President of Iran and affirmed India’s commitment to strengthen the “special relationship” between the two nations.

“Heartiest congratulations to my friend, President @HassanRouhani on his re—election,” Mr. Modi tweeted in English and Persian languages. “India remains committed to strengthening our special relationship with Iran,” he added.

The PM expressed confidence that Iran would continue to achieve new heights under the dynamic leadership of President Rouhani.