Ebrahim Raisi wins Iran’s Presidential vote in low turnout

Ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi swept to victory with an overwhelming majority of votes in Iran’s low-turnout presidential election, according to official figures announced on state TV.

Raisi secured 17.8 million votes and the only moderate candidate in the race, Abdolnaser Hemmati, came third with 2.4 million ballots, Jamal Orf, head of Iran’s presidential election headquarters said in a statement, adding that 90% of ballots have been counted so far. Figures given by Orf indicate that turnout was 48%, one of the lowest in the history of the Islamic Republic, with Raisi securing 62% of ballots cast. Millions of voters stayed home after most moderate and reformist candidates were disqualified from running. What’s at Stake in Iran’s Presidential Election: QuickTake