![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5IIJ322RPMKC6M3FE6RRGTCVTI.jpg?smart=true&auth=a2dfa7ef665ac123746319e31455c080686254a64fe1818796b5938553d3ee4c&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi speaks to the crowd during an election camping rally in Tehran on April 29, 2017. EPA
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President Raisi and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev visit the Qiz-Qalasi dam on the Azerbaijan-Iran border on May 19. Reuters
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A supporter of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi holds his portrait during a celebratory rally for his presidential election victory in Tehran in 2021. Wana
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Mr Raisi at the inauguration ceremony of the dam of Qiz Qalasi. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IYIISSDE2WLVQU7PMD24H4BGEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ce33ae91eb8f2adf0d4c6123839fdd8734f62c18c49b7d4f172f84ed6c47b2bc&width=400&height=225)
Kenyan President William Ruto, right, shakes hand with Mr Raisi at the Statehouse in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 12, 2023. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WNYFPWLOBW45S3XF4AGAI7FMPU.jpg?smart=true&auth=57cb12118b249a41fbe25742771115c760677b8836fa323d3dcd91fb449e7639&width=400&height=225)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left, and Mr Raisi at a meeting of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation in Riyadh. AFP
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Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, right, being welcomed by Mr Raisi during a ceremony in Tehran, Iran, on May 28, 2023. EPA
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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr Raisi. AFP
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, right, and Mr Raisi on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City on September 22, 2022. AFP
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, greets Mr Raisi during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace on December 7, 2023. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DTL7SJ36KOIFQB2URIHWJDKL5U.jpg?smart=true&auth=d05378f3374b7c4e8f1e424638d8fd920fbf2f412e832e7d2ec5b6654f6fb2d8&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi, left, with Egypt's President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi. AFP
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Mr Raisi, right, greeted by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/APYW6WZ5IN42EFCBCLXX4YG2JI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b70f0e06aa01d91b5c92f34da798b5740f56a0b5eb85f0ea6708c7055446702c&width=400&height=225)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, shakes hands with Mr Raisi before their meeting at the Presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, on January 24. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EXQGBYZZEQ3OML2HDGESWOO6NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b48f51a947116348e24e157e3ec80a1b4b011a6ae627b80d3b32d535f4bdb3c&width=400&height=225)
The affinity between incoming Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei goes back decades. Wana via Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CQKF3YDITYG7R5K657N5F7ATE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f5649b0c34a2c8bd178608c7434175802fb1017c7a5830fc7b71655806c528f6&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi shakes hands with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, on May 12, 2022. Reuters
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Mr Raisi gestures after he votes during presidential elections at a polling station in Tehran.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C657UO7QCQNJJTECIKKMKWMZZA.jpg?smart=true&auth=cf6338fdb7454fdf232a5daf84546e5c6fb20d69420d3c80e90a938cf16ca86d&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi, right, greets his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad in Tehran, on May 8, 2022. EPA
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Mr Raisi, Iran's president-elect, speaks after his victory in the election on June 21. Bloomberg
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Mr Raisi speaks to the crowd during an election camping rally in Tehran on April 29, 2017. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OGHPTDPZ36E6H5RBTNUXVKI6BQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6119de6db0f99475dee5a536b5ef1a670d086a8352943edf0fda7a772c46fd13&width=400&height=225)
President Raisi and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev visit the Qiz-Qalasi dam on the Azerbaijan-Iran border on May 19. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JK2FGW2UITAPSL4NHJGCMETF7Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=08762f7fd8d9a90089196c18877193a93c9f740d6561fe279a32d8601e5b3f02&width=400&height=225)
A supporter of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi holds his portrait during a celebratory rally for his presidential election victory in Tehran in 2021. Wana
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DEA4GS65EHL2I34CFVL2MJMBRM.jpg?smart=true&auth=b1027867b2b6d9dccf17f568acbc5295ec7da0643939feec75f9aad0f7721f81&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi at the inauguration ceremony of the dam of Qiz Qalasi. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IYIISSDE2WLVQU7PMD24H4BGEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=ce33ae91eb8f2adf0d4c6123839fdd8734f62c18c49b7d4f172f84ed6c47b2bc&width=400&height=225)
Kenyan President William Ruto, right, shakes hand with Mr Raisi at the Statehouse in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 12, 2023. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WNYFPWLOBW45S3XF4AGAI7FMPU.jpg?smart=true&auth=57cb12118b249a41fbe25742771115c760677b8836fa323d3dcd91fb449e7639&width=400&height=225)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left, and Mr Raisi at a meeting of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation in Riyadh. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HWCGHEA3R7FEZKY3XXMV33X4NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=9b56e63cd1e6469080bda14bf7b1b2ea896959e73870cd59d1c0ff8fa95af0ac&width=400&height=225)
Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq, right, being welcomed by Mr Raisi during a ceremony in Tehran, Iran, on May 28, 2023. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IL5HLUVEJCBQLMZE5K27CSTB3Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=21374dcc6feffb00f6f86d6974ba0819eb60b82a3ab3141d0ca7c4dc5cff224e&width=400&height=225)
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr Raisi. AFP
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, right, and Mr Raisi on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City on September 22, 2022. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZRJ7ALBN65EXHOAYRCAGETHJWM.jpg?smart=true&auth=00c59cb345a0b3ca6bdbde877850a8914f52d4b32b9ab057f19966f002dc085d&width=400&height=225)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, greets Mr Raisi during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace on December 7, 2023. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DTL7SJ36KOIFQB2URIHWJDKL5U.jpg?smart=true&auth=d05378f3374b7c4e8f1e424638d8fd920fbf2f412e832e7d2ec5b6654f6fb2d8&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi, left, with Egypt's President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XGB6CKDZ4RIYJCPOVIMRIOJTUQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=a9fa43542e3a1245a5b3ff1dde2242d47c8e28edaf57197579d6288b8cfe43b2&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi, right, greeted by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/APYW6WZ5IN42EFCBCLXX4YG2JI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b70f0e06aa01d91b5c92f34da798b5740f56a0b5eb85f0ea6708c7055446702c&width=400&height=225)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, shakes hands with Mr Raisi before their meeting at the Presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, on January 24. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EXQGBYZZEQ3OML2HDGESWOO6NE.jpg?smart=true&auth=4b48f51a947116348e24e157e3ec80a1b4b011a6ae627b80d3b32d535f4bdb3c&width=400&height=225)
The affinity between incoming Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei goes back decades. Wana via Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CQKF3YDITYG7R5K657N5F7ATE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f5649b0c34a2c8bd178608c7434175802fb1017c7a5830fc7b71655806c528f6&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi shakes hands with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, on May 12, 2022. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UAWH673OH35Y2XJXUPMMOIPNAA.jpg?smart=true&auth=9d0b0ae72bfd6cea37a573e115487644a7d821530d072363b9ea3b41347c568a&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi gestures after he votes during presidential elections at a polling station in Tehran.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C657UO7QCQNJJTECIKKMKWMZZA.jpg?smart=true&auth=cf6338fdb7454fdf232a5daf84546e5c6fb20d69420d3c80e90a938cf16ca86d&width=400&height=225)
Mr Raisi, right, greets his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad in Tehran, on May 8, 2022. EPA
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Mr Raisi, Iran's president-elect, speaks after his victory in the election on June 21. Bloomberg
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Mr Raisi speaks to the crowd during an election camping rally in Tehran on April 29, 2017. EPA