Re election of hassan rouhani is a welcome move

Re election of hassan rouhani is a welcome move

The re-election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a decisive electoral victory is a welcome development for Iran, India and the world in general. Rouhani secured 57 per cent of the vote against the 38.5 per cent garnered by his opponent, the hardline cleric, Ebrahim Raisi, who had the backing of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Much like the French in their presidential elections, Iranians voted decisively against inward-looking politics.
Though Raisi campaigned on a populist platform — tackling corruption, alleviating poverty, larger hand-outs for the poor — voters preferred Rouhani’s record with the nuclear deal and promise of increased engagement with the world, ensuring accountability and domestic reform, and greater personal freedoms.
A robust economy is crucial to make good on these promises. A bigger voice for the moderates and reformists in the all-powerful Assembly of Experts would help. Iran’s partners and the world can give Rouhani a helping hand and support Iran’s political evolution.
It is time for the US to lift its remaining sanctions on Iran, not try and renege on the nuclear deal. These will make it easier for banks and other financial institutions to back investments in the country. India, too, needs to sustain and extend support to President Rouhani. This means moving ahead with its investments in Iran, the most important and immediate being the Chahabar port and the transport-trade linkages with the Central Asian republics, which would provide a logistical advance outside China’s Belt and Road project.
The economic and strategic benefits that will accrue to Iran, India, Central Asian republics and Russia would be considerable, to the chagrin of Pakistan and China. That is an added reason for the US to cooperate in Iran’s economic rebuilding.