Middle East & Africa | A hardliner wins, democracy loses

What Ebrahim Raisi’s election means for Iran and the nuclear deal

The supreme leader is consolidating power. The new president may help

EBRAHIM RAISI will not meet Joe Biden. Nor will he negotiate over Iran’s missile programme. And he’s certainly not going to stop supporting the militias that project Iranian influence in the region. Soon Mr Raisi will be president of Iran. At his first press conference since winning office the hardline cleric and former head of the judiciary offered a preview of his administration. He seems keener to confront the world than engage with it.

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “A hardliner wins, democracy loses”

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