The election of moderate cleric Hassan Rowhani as Iran president signals a return of hope and reforms and that the people desire a policy of moderation over extremism, newspapers said on Sunday.
“A salute to Iran and to the Sheikh of hope,” the pro-reformist Etemad daily declared on its front-page over a colour picture of a smiling Rowhani flashing a V-for-victory sign.
“The sun of my moderation has risen,” said Arman, another pro-reformist publication.Rowhani was declared Iran’s new president on Saturday, ending eight years of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s conservative grip on the top job that had isolated the Islamic republic internationally.
Shargh, another reformist daily, said Rowhani’s election means “the return of hope and victory for reformers and moderates” who backed his candidacy against the divided conservatives in Friday’s election.
Conservative newspapers said the 64-year-old Rowhani’s win was a “victory of the Iranian people”.
{{/usCountry}}Conservative newspapers said the 64-year-old Rowhani’s win was a “victory of the Iranian people”.
{{/usCountry}}It reiterated a message from supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in praise of the conduct of the vote in which 72.7% of the electorate turned out.