Hassan Rouhani was yesterday
declared Iran’s new president
in a surprise outright election
victory that ends eight years of
conservative grip on the top
office.
“This victory is a victory for
wisdom, moderation and
maturity… over extremism,”
local media reported Rouhani
as saying in a first statement
after his triumph.
The 64-year-old moderate
cleric, a former top nuclear
negotiator who has
championed more constructive
engagement with world
powers, won outright with
18.6 million votes, or 50.68 per
cent of those cast, the interior
minister said.
Rouhani is expected to
improve Iran’s relationship
with world powers unlike
President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad whose nuclear
programme has been a subject
of discord.
Crowds marched through Vali-
Asr Square in central Tehran
carrying pictures of the winner
and chanting pro-Rouhani
slogans.
In northwest Tehran, people
gathered in Kaj Square and
cheered as passing cars
sounded their horns in
approval.
Rouhani’s tally was enough to
ensure there would be no run-
off against the runner-up,
Tehran Mayor Mohammad
Baqer Qalibaf, who came a
distant second with 6.55 per
cent of the votes. Top nuclear
negotiator Saeed Jalili came
third with 11.35 per cent.
Former Revolutionary Guards
commander Mohsen Rezai and
ex-foreign minister Ali Akbar
Velayati won 3.88 and 2.26
million votes respectively.