US decision boosts Rouhani before polls
Washington’s resolve to continue with the nuclear deal lifts president’s morale as he seeks a second term in today’s election
TEHRAN // The US decision yesterday to stick by the nuclear deal with Iran, despite new sanctions on its missile programme, provided welcome news for president Hassan Rouhani , a day before his bid for re-election.
The administration of US president Donald Trump chose to continue waiving nuclear-related sanctions despite its criticism of the agreement.
That was a relief to Mr Rouhani, who made the 2015 nuclear deal the centrepiece of his efforts to end Iran’s isolation and rebuild its economy with foreign investment.
He faces a tough battle for re-election today against hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who has called for a much tougher stance against the West and says the nuclear deal has not improved the lives of the poor.
But the Trump administration, dominated by fiercely anti-Iran sentiment, balanced the sanctions waivers with new measures against Iranian defence officials and a Chinese business tied to Tehran’s ballistic missile programme. The US says the programme is a breach of international law because the missiles could carry nuclear warheads.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and its foreign ministry yesterday condemned the new US sanctions and announced plans to impose its own against “nine US individuals and companies”. Mr Trump had threatened to cancel the nuclear deal during his campaign and has launched a review of its terms, but until then the deal requires him to renew sanctions relief at regular intervals.
His first deadline fell this week, related to sanctions on oil purchases through the Iranian central bank – part of a 2012 law called the national defence authorisation act – that must be waived every 120 days.
The Trump administration will have to waive more sanctions next month if it wants to stick by the nuclear deal.
The US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said last month that Iran was complying with its side of the bargain, but has described the country as the world’s leading sponsor of state terrorism. Washington has maintained a raft of other sanctions related to human rights and the missile programme that continue to stifle Iran’s efforts to rebuild its foreign trade.
This has been a major issue in the election, with Mr Raisi accusing Mr Rouhani of making too many concessions without gaining any economic benefits.
Although oil sales have rebounded since the deal came into effect in January last year, Iran’s continued exclusion from the international banking system has prevented it from signing much-needed trade and investment deals with Europe and Asia. Mr Rouhani has vowed to work towards the removal of remaining sanctions and called for more time to allow the benefits of the deal to reach ordinary Iranians.
Political analysts and the scant polling data available suggest that the 68- year- old cleric will come out on top among the four candidates left running, although an outright win is by no means assured. Failure to secure a majority would lead to a run-off. Mr Rouhani’s supporters streamed into Tehran for rallies that lasted into the early hours of yesterday, just ahead of a 24-hour no-campaigning period before the vote. The rallies were largely peaceful although some supporters faced off against smaller crowds backing Mr Raisi.
A law professor and former prosecutor, Mr Raisi heads a religious charitable foundation with vast business holdings. He is considered by many as close to supreme leader Ali Khamenei and has even been talked about as a possible successor to him.
Mr Raisi won the support of two major clerical bodies and promised to boost welfare payments to the poor. His populist posture, anti-graft rhetoric and get-tough reputation are likely to impress rural and working-class voters.