Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an uncompromising indictment of Iran’s elections Sunday, as he told a weekly meeting of his cabinet its results would have little impact in real terms as “the ruler of Iran is the Supreme Leader, not the President”. Issuing a call to his international allies not to ease up on its pressure to make the Islamist regime comply with its demands regarding its contentious nuclear program, he warned that “the more pressure on Iran increases, the greater is the chance of stopping the Iranian nuclear program, which remains the greatest threat to world peace”.
Disputing the widespread depiction of the Scottish-educated President-elect Hassan Rouhani as a “moderate” candidate, the Israeli leader stressed that whilst he is seen as less interlinked with Ayatollah Khomeini and former hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he “still defines the State of Israel as “the great Zionist Satan”.” Invoking the heavily censored backdrop to the elections themselves, he insisted that “the Iranian ruler, at the outset, disqualified candidates who did not fit his extremist outlook”, casting doubt on the democratic legitimacy of the polls.
Rouhani himself sought to represent his landslide win more than 50% of the overall vote as a “victory of moderation over extremism”, as 72.2% of the 50 million-strong electorate took to the polls to choose Ahmadinejad’s successor.
Rouhani issued a statement saying that "a new opportunity has been created for those who truly respect democracy, interaction and free dialogue".
"I thank God that once again rationality and moderation has shone on Iran... This victory is a victory for wisdom, moderation and maturity... over extremism," claimed the 64 year-old, the sole cleric standing for election.
In comments likely to concern the West, however, he added: "The nations who tout democracy and open dialogue should speak to the Iranian people with respect and recognise the rights of the Islamic republic."
In a brief statement Saturday, ahead of Netanyahu’s comments, the Israeli Foreign Ministry, which he heads in an interim capacity, echoed his analysis of Khomeini’s dominance of the Iranian political landscape, as it warned that as Rouhani prepares to enter office, “Iran will continue to be judged by its actions, in the nuclear sphere as well as on the issue of terror”. “Iran must abide by the demands of the international community to stop its nuclear program and cease the dissemination of terror throughout the world,” concluded the official comment.
As the left sought to modify Netanyahu’s uncompromising response to Friday’s election result, President Shimon Peres insisted the choice of candidate represented a backlash to Khomeini’s brand of authoritarianism and a call to change. “It is clearly a voice of the people and a voice that says, ‘We don’t agree with this group of leaders”,” the Israeli statesman told news agencies Associated Press and Reuters Sunday. “More than half of Iranians, in their own way, in my judgment, protested against an impossible leadership,” he added, as he highlighted the economic challenges facing the incoming President, amid a backdrop of continuing international sanctions.
An air of caution rang through the responses from other key Israeli political figures, as centrist Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, herself charged with reinvigorated the stalled Mid East peace process, described the real test for the apparently moderate new leader as his actions on assuming power. It would be preferable for the West to “conduct itself wisely” by “continuing to pressure Iran” even if the Iranian people do not want to persist in the current direction, she said.
The EU responded yet more cautiously, as a statement from foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton Saturday served only to confirm Rouhani’s resounding election to a four-year mandate. “I wish Mr. Rohani well in forming a new government and in taking up his new responsibilities. I remain firmly committed to working with the new Iranian leadership towards a swift diplomatic solution of the nuclear issue,” she concluded.
Europe’s foreign ministers similarly “noted” Iran’s long-awaited polls, as British Foreign Secretary William Hague called on the incoming leader to sue his mandate “to set Iran on a different course for the future: addressing international concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme, taking forward a constructive relationship with the international community, and improving the political and human rights situation for the people of Iran”.
The “great responsibility” facing him similarly formed the crux of German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle’s statement on the election, as he conceded the leader had been given a “clear mandate” by the people. “I am confident that he will exercise this responsibility in the sense of prudence and hope, for he has brought in his campaign,” continued his comment Sunday. “The government expects that the Iranian leadership with the new president is (open to change), so that a substantial solution to the nuclear crisis can be achieved through diplomatic channels without further delay. It would also be important and necessary that Iran complies with its obligations to protect the human rights and sought to find a constructive role in the region,” he concluded.
France meanwhile emphasised its “strong” expectations for the new President, as FM Laurent Fabius heralded the “unwavering desire for democracy of the Iranian people”. Calling for action regarding its nuclear program and similarly contentious support for the Syrian regime, he nevertheless declared himself “ready to work with the new Iranian President”.
In Washington, a White House statement expressed “respect” for the election result, whilst noting “the backdrop of a lack of transparency, censorship of the media, Internet, and text messages, and an intimidating security environment that limited freedom of expression and assembly” against which the people went to the polls. Drawing optimism from Iranian society’s apparent desire for democracy, which showed them to be “determined to act to shape their future”, the official comment Saturday was hopeful for the likelihood of the President utilising his role to “make responsible choices that create a better future for all Iranians”. “The United States remains ready to engage the Iranian government directly in order to reach a diplomatic solution that will fully address the international community’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program,” it concluded.
US Secretary of State John Kerry was yet more vehement in his commendation of the Iranian people’s “courage” in exercising their right to vote “in a rigidly controlled environment that sought to limit freedom of expression and assembly”. Despite the challenges of censorship and a lack of overall transparency, he concluded they had “clearly expressed their desire for a new and better future”. Invoking Rouhani’s electoral pledge for moderacy he called on him to deliver on his promises to the people and “honour heir international obligations to the rest of the world in order to reach a diplomatic solution that will fully address the international community’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program”.
Rouhani has previously served in the Iranian government, occupied various parliamentary posts, including that of chief nuclear negotiator. As part of his election manifesto, the candidate, who was not widely thought to a clear winner ahead of the polls, pledged to try to ease international sanctions on Iran’s economy, provoking optimism amongst Western powers for greater diplomatic engagement, as they continue to seek to resolve the impasse with the Islamist regime over its nuclear intentions.