Iran’s reformist President Hassan Rouhani has emphatically won the country’s presidential election, according to official results, fending off a challenge by the rival, Ebrahim Raisi.Rouhani secured a comfortable victory, with the other main contender, Embrahim Raisi, garnering the second highest votes. According to the state media.Rouhani received 23,549,616 votes (57%), compared to Raisi’s 15,786,449 votes, or 38.5 percent.A huge turnout was evidenced by the fact that polling stations remained open till midnight. It defied the apprehensions that moderates won’t vote owing to disenchantment from the regime’s economic performance.Iran’s interior minister, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, announced live on state television that Rouhani received 23,549,616 votes (57%), compared to Raisi’s 15,786,449 votes, or 38.5 percent.It is widely believed that Iranians endorsed Rouhani’s efforts to re-engage with the West and grant more liberties. The victor had framed the vote as a choice between liberties and extremism. Rouhani’s four-year stint was typified with openness as the president took the bold initiative of signing the Iran Nuclear Deal in 2015 to alleviate international isolation.Read more: Why was Ahmedinejad disqualified from Iranian elections? The elected president will have to fend off resistance from the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who outranks Rouhani.Rouhani thwarted a real threat in Embrahim Raisi, who had flared up populists concerns about a sluggish economy. Though he didn’t criticize the nuclear deal, he did berate Rouhani of mismanaging the economy and positioned himself as a defender of the poor and calling for a much tougher line with the West.Raisi was entrenched in the conservative establishment, having served as attorney general, supervisor of state broadcaster IRIB and prosecutor in the Special Court for Clerics.The election results showed that Iranians want liberties and openness; they are democratic enough to participate in a gradual change.“The last two decades of presidential elections have been short days of euphoria followed by long years of disillusionment,” said Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment who focuses on Iran.“Democracy in Iran is allowed to bloom only a few days every four years, while autocracy is evergreen.”– Karim SadjadpourThis shows that pundits are cautious in their optimism about the President’s power. Rouhani’s re-election provides him a chance to institute social and political reforms which he had envisaged. However, he will be restricted and often times thwarted in his attempts.</s>Rouhani's hardline opponent ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi is on the second place with 15.4 million votes. Head of the Islamic Coalition Party’s Central Council Mostafa Mirsalim receives some 455,000 votes, while former Vice President Mostafa Hashem Taba gets 210,000 votes.

Over 40 million people voted in Friday’s presidential election, with a total of 56 million people in Iran being eligible to vote. A turnout of roughly 70 percent led authorities to extend voting time by several hours until midnight.

Never miss a story again — sign up to our Telegram channel and we'll keep you up to speed!</s>Besides Rouhani, three candidates run for presidency, namely, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi, former Vice President Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, and head of the Islamic Coalition Party’s Central Council Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim.</s>Iran’s incumbent president Hassan Rouhani is ahead of his nearest competitor in an initial count of votes in the election.

Interior Ministry deputy minister Ali Asghar Ahmadi said in a televised news conference on Saturday morning that more than 40 million Iranians voted in Friday’s election. That puts turnout above 70 per cent.

Mr Ahmadi said the initial vote count has the moderate cleric Mr Rouhani with 14.6 million votes. Hard-line cleric Ebrahim Raisi has 10.1 million votes.

Mr Ahmadi said the Interior Ministry hopes to have final results later on Saturday.

The Islamic Republic’s first presidential election since the 2015 nuclear accord drew surprisingly large numbers of voters to polling stations, with some reporting waiting in line for hours to cast their votes.

Election officials extended voting hours at least three times.</s>Hassan Rouhani (pictured) has won Iran’s 12th presidential election, receiving a popular mandate for another four years in presidential office.

Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli appeared at a press briefing on Saturday to declare Rouhani the winner of the Friday election with 23,549,616 votes, or 57 percent of the total ballots.

Rahmani Fazli said that a total of 41,220,131 votes had been cast, and that the results he was announcing were almost definitive.

The candidate with the second largest number of votes was Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, who garnered 15,786,449 votes, or 38.5 percent.

Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim and Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, the other two candidates, received 478,215 and 215,450 votes respectively.

President Rouhani will speak live on state television at 6:00 p.m. Iran time (1330 GMT) on Saturday.</s>With more than half the votes counted in the Iran presidential elections, it is the incumbent President Hassan Rouhani who is leading the polls with 14 million votes against second contender Ebrahim Raisi’s 10 million. A lawyer, academic and a former diplomat, Rouhani has been part of Iran’s reformists, a political faction that was developed under former President Mohammad Khatami who wanted more freedom and democracy in the political system.

Rouhani is a graduate of University of Tehran and did his PhD from Glasgow Caledonian University. He is a follower of Ayatollah Khomeini, a former leader in Iran who led the Iranian revolution and overthrew the last Shah. Rouhani joined him in exile in France. He has served in many political positions including a few in the Iranian armed forces. He was also the chief nuclear negotiator from 2003 to 2005.

He was elected as president for his first term in 2013 after wining more than 50 per cent of the vote. Right from his first days as president, Rouhani has shown progressive ideals in his presidency. He was the first president to condemn the Nazis for the holocaust. He also wrote a column in Washington Post, arguing for “constructive approach to issues.” He also spoke to former US President Barack Obama directly on telephone, the first time leaders of both the countries spoke directly to each other since 1979.

His biggest achievement in office was the signing of the nuclear deal – in return for reduced nuclear advancement, Iran received relief from economic sanctions on it. He called the deal a wish that had come true. Later, in an address at the United Nations, he said, “A new chapter has started in Iran’s relations with the world,” simultaneously blaming Israel and America for the increase in global terrorism.

During Rouhani’s presidency, the economy stabilised, with the exchange rate of the country’s currency Rial improving. According to reports, however, Iran’s economy remains slugging and a challenge ahead for the incoming president.

While other ministers and political factions announced that he would run for a second term, Rouhani himself never announced his bid for presidency the second time. His campaign hit out at the hardliners of Iran. The BBC reported that Rouhani campaigned for a “moderate modern and outward looking Iran” which was in contrast to his rival Ebrahim Raisi’s stand who was also not in favour of the nuclear deal.

Even though Rouhani has promised more freedom, internet and television remain restricted under his regime. Some journalists and activists have also been locked up without trial. While Rouhani has said he will try to get them out, the hardliners in the country have maintained that they should remain under arrest. The country is also rife with human rights violations. Rouhani, however, has not addressed that.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App now</s>Iran's incumbent President Hassan Rouhani had a commanding 58 percent lead over his rivals in an initial and partial count of votes in the election, according to official figures announced Saturday morning.

Deputy Interior Minister Ali Asghar Ahmadi told journalists in a televised news conference that more than 40 million Iranians voted in Friday's election. That puts turnout above 70 percent.

The strong margin for Rouhani may be enough to give him an outright victory and avoid a two-person runoff next Friday. In 2013, Rouhani won the presidential election with nearly 51 percent of the vote. Turnout for that vote was 73 percent.

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.

Friday's vote was largely a referendum on 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 program.

The 68-year-old has come to embody more liberal and reform-minded Iranians' hopes for greater political freedom at home and better relations with the outside world.

Preliminary vote tallies have him ahead with 14.6 million votes, out of 25.1 million counted so far.

His nearest challenger is hard-line cleric Ebrahim Raisi, with 10.1 million votes.

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 have 297,000 and 139,000 votes each.

Iran has no credible political polling to serve as harder metrics for the street buzz around candidates, who need more than 50 percent of the vote to seal victory and avoid a runoff.

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

It is still a powerful post. The 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.

All candidates for elected office must be vetted, a process that excludes anyone calling for radical change, along with most reformists. No woman has ever been approved to run for president.

Ahmadi said the Interior Ministry hopes to have final results later Saturday.</s>The final tally is in and incumbent Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has won a second term.

Rouhani won comfortably with over 58% of all votes cast. His nearest rival, the conservative/populist Ebrahim Raisi received 39%.

Although Rouhani’s opponents had been critical of his perceived lethargy in economic matters as well as saying he did not do enough to help Iran’s poor, ultimately the moderate candidate who has been a steadfast supporter of Syria’s war against terrorism won.

Rouhani is seen as a force for stability who has increased Iran’s prestige throughout the Middle East due to it’s commitment to fighting terrorism and its steadfast opposition to Saudi and Israeli aggression.

Rouhani has strengthened Iran’s ties with both Syria and Russia while Iran looks set to participate actively in China’s One Belt–One Road trade initiative.

It is imperative that in his second term, Rouhani builds on his international successes at home and strengthens the Iranian economy which at the moment is largely seen as his weakest area.

Overall though, Iranians voted for stability, predictability, moderation at home and strength abroad over populism at home and a less predictable foreign policy.</s>Out of 25.9 million votes counted, Iran President Hassan Rouhani had 14.6 million</s>Iran says incumbent President Hassan Rouhani is ahead of his nearest competitor in an initial count of votes in the election.

Interior Ministry deputy minister Ali Asghar Ahmadi told journalists in a televised news conference Saturday morning that over 40 million Iranians voted in Friday's election. That puts turnout above 70 percent.

Ahmadi says the initial vote count has the moderate cleric Rouhani with 14.6 million votes. Hard-line cleric Ebrahim Raisi has 10.1 million votes.

Ahmadi says the Interior Ministry hopes to have final results later Saturday.

The Islamic Republic's first presidential election since the 2015 nuclear accord drew surprisingly large numbers of voters to polling stations, with some reporting waiting in line for hours to cast their votes. Election officials extended voting hours at least three times.
Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani is re-elected with 23.5 million votes, defeating Ebrahim Raisi who received 15.7 million votes.