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Iranian Election Results Draw Praise, Condemnations

Reactions from around the globe poured in over the weekend following the election of hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi as president of Iran, with neighboring and Islamic countries offering their congratulations and Western states and human rights group condemning the “Butcher of Tehran.” The leaders of Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Hamas and Gulf nations all called or issued warm statements following the announcement of Raisi’s victory on Saturday, expressing hope for cooperation and friendship with the Islamic Republic’s new premier, while newly appointed Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid blamed Raisi for “the deaths of thousands of Iranians” and for being “committed [to Iran’s] campaign of global terror.” Amnesty International and Humans Rights Watch both blasted the election results as “a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran” and accused Raisi of “the most heinous crimes” in the nation’s recent history. While Washington complained that the Iranian people “were denied … a free and fair electoral process,” both the United States and European countries remained largely tight-lipped regarding Raisi, as advanced negotiations in Vienna over a renewed nuclear deal with Tehran continued Sunday. Raisi won the Friday vote amid record-low turnout, as Iranians protested economic hardships and the disqualification of several moderate candidates.