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Hardline judge wins landslide in Iran presidential vote amid low turnout

Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline judge under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured a landslide victory on Saturday in Iran‘s presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.
With some 90% of the 28.6 million ballots counted, Raisi’s tally was 17.8 million, interior ministry official Jamal Orfi said, giving him an unassailable lead.
Turnout in Friday’s four-man race was a record low of around 48%.
Appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the high-profile job of judiciary chief in 2019, Raisi was placed under U.S. sanctions a few months later over human rights violations.
Those included the role that human rights group say Raisi played in the executions of thousands of political prisoners in the 1988 and in the violent suppression of unrest in 2009.
Iran has never acknowledged the mass executions, and Raisi himself has never publicly addressed allegations about his role.
Seen by analysts and insiders as representing the security establishment at its most fearsome, Raisi had been widely tipped to win the contest, thanks to Khamenei’s endorsement.
Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said Raisi’s election win was “a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran“.
“We continue to call for Ebrahim Raisi to be investigated for his involvement in past and ongoing crimes under international law, including by states that exercise universal jurisdiction,” she said in a statement.
Outgoing pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani visited Raisi at his office to congratulate him, and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he would lead Iran well.
“We will stand by and cooperate fully with the president-elect for the next 45 days, when the new government takes charge,” state media quoted Rouhani as saying.
NUCLEAR TALKS
Raisi’s election comes at a critical time.
Iran and six major powers are in talks to revive their 2015 nuclear deal. Then U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions that have squeezed Iran‘s oil income.
With Iran‘s ruling clerics aware their political fortunes rely on tackling worsening economic hardships, Raisi’s win will not disrupt Iran‘s effort to revive the pact and break free of tough U.S. oil and financial sanctions.
Khamenei, not the president, has the last say on all issue of state such as Iran‘s foreign and nuclear policies.
“We will make every effort in the new government to solve the problem of people’s livelihoods,” Raisi said, according to state media.
Seeking to win over voters preoccupied by bread-and-butter issues, Raisi has promised to create millions of jobs and tackle inflation, without offering a detailed political or economic programme.
Hoping to boost their legitimacy, the country’s clerical rulers had urged people to turn out and vote on Friday, but simmering anger over economic hardships and curbs on freedoms kept many Iranians at home.
Hundreds of dissidents, at home and abroad, had called for a boycott. However, Khamenei said the turnout displayed the clerical establishment’s popularity.
Another deterrent for many pro-reform voters was a lack of choice, after a hardline election body barred heavyweight moderates and conservatives from standing.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Friday: “Iranians were denied their right to choose their own leaders in a free and fair electoral process” – a likely reference to the disqualification of candidates.
Many pro-reform Iranians fear Raisi’s presidency could usher in more repression.
“I am scared. I don’t want to go back to jail again. I am certain that any kind of dissent will not be tolerated,” said Hamidreza, who declined to give his full name. He was jailed for participating in unrest in 2019 that broke out over fuel price hikes and quickly turned political.
Analysts say the election win could increase Raisi’s chances of succeeding Khamenei, who himself served two terms as president before becoming supreme leader in 1989.
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Pakistan must prevent violation of refugee rights, Muttaqi tells Dar

Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart in Kabul on Saturday called on the neighboring country to prevent the violation of the rights of Afghan refugees.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed various issues including refugees, politics, economy, trade, transit and major joint projects, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Amir Khan Muttaqi stressed the need to maintain positive relations based on mutual respect between Afghanistan and the countries of the world, especially Pakistan, and announced that the Islamic Emirate has adopted a balanced policy that will help develop cooperation with neighboring countries, including Pakistan.
Muttaqi also spoke about recent developments in Afghanistan and opportunities for development in various sectors, adding that Afghanistan is interested in expanding trade, transit and carrying out joint projects with Pakistan.
He further called on the Pakistani authorities to take effective measures to resolve the existing problems in these areas and provide necessary facilities for further cooperation. The acting foreign minister also expressed deep concern over the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and called on Pakistani authorities to prevent violations of the rights of Afghan refugees.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar expressed his satisfaction with the visit to Afghanistan, adding that the visit could help improve relations and expand bilateral cooperation. He also invited Muttaqi to visit Pakistan.
Dar also announced that to facilitate bilateral trade, tariffs on many commercial items will be reduced and effective steps will be taken in the field of transportation of commercial goods. He also stressed that the Pakistani government is committed to expanding trade and transit with Afghanistan and will provide necessary facilities for this purpose.
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed the importance of strengthening diplomatic relations, joint cooperation, increasing visa issuance, fast transportation of agricultural products, trade growth and projects such as the Trans-Afghan railway, CASA 1000 electricity, TAPI gas and TAP electricity.
The meeting decided to form joint committees to follow up on issues raised and resolve existing problems.
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Russian spy chief says West seeking to aid anti-government forces in Afghanistan

Russia’s foreign spy service chief, Sergei Naryshkin, has claimed that Western intelligence agencies are looking for ways to help anti-government forces in Afghanistan in hopes of keeping the country in a state of disarray.
Naryshkin visited Baku on April 17-18 to participate in the conference “Afghanistan: Regional Interconnectivity, Security and Development.”
According to him, the West is trying to maintain instability in Afghanistan in order to advance its own geopolitical interests. “It is the Westerners who continue to block Afghan assets and maintain sanctions against Kabul, while Western intelligence agencies are looking for ways to support anti-government forces in this country,” the statement said, TASS news agency reported.
He emphasized that Afghanistan “occupies an important place in geopolitics, and it is in the common interest of our states to promote reconstruction and prosperity on the Afghan land.”
The Russian foreign spy chief “noted the positive dynamics of Russian-Afghan relations and reported that Russia has started the process of removing the Taliban movement (IEA) from the list of terrorist organizations.” Naryshkin “positively assessed the activities of the current Afghan authorities in the sphere of state-building and expressed confidence in the inevitability of the prospect of their international recognition.”
“The primary obstacle to this scenario, in his opinion, is the West’s desire to maintain instability in Afghanistan to further its own geopolitical interests,” he said.
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Pakistan’s deputy PM arrives in Kabul for talks

Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks with officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
He was welcomed at the airport by Deputy Foreign Minister for Financial and Administrative Affairs Mohammad Naeem and other officials.
During the day-long visit, Dar will call on Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, meet Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, and hold delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
“The talks will cover entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties,” the statement said.
“Dar’s visit is a reflection of Pakistan’s commitment to enhance sustained engagement with the brotherly country of Afghanistan,” the statement added.
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