Iran: Hassan Rouhani Wins Re-Election In Landslide

rugcat · May 21, 2017

The Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, has won a sweeping endorsement for efforts to end Iran’s international isolation and bring greater freedoms at home, with an unexpected landslide victory in a fiercely contested re-election bid.

His powerful mandate protects the nuclear deal, which has been his landmark achievement to date, and his courting of foreign investment. It could also have much longer-term implications for Iran’s future, by giving reformists a greater influence over the looming battle to choose a new supreme leader.

This is an encouraging sign, imo. Election of a hardliner would have, among other things, probably scrapped the nuclear deal. And his unexpected large margin of victory gives him some additional clout in dealing with hardliners.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-for-landslide-in-huge-victory-for-reformists

ElaineA · May 21, 2017

Well, it would have been encouraging if Trump had not been war-mongering against Iran today in Saudi. (Coincidentally [or not, since...yanno, Bannon] backing the sect that became IS and attacking the sect that is most vigorously opposing IS) In fact, it's bloody DIScouraging, knowing the people of Iran are voicing moderation and now the US is going to live down to the worst expectations imaginable.

Alessandra Kelley · May 22, 2017

The relative civility of Iran and its elections (not overlooking its theocratic autocracy nor its human rights abuses, just to be clear) is most encouraging.

It was certainly discouraging this past weekend to see the occupier of the White House thundering against increasingly moderate Iran while sucking up to just as theocratic, just as autocratic, far more misogynistic and far more terrorism-sponsoring Saudi Arabia.

Iran: Hassan Rouhani Wins Re-Election In Landslide

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian