Top Iran leader praises president-elect

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s supreme leader endorsed his hard-line protege as the nation’s next president Tuesday, just two days ahead of the inauguration of Ebrahim Raisi.

The country is reeling from crushing U.S. sanctions that have devastated the economy, led to the crash of the Iranian currency and hit ordinary Iranians hard. Exacerbating Iran’s despair, the coronavirus has spiraled out of control, with authorities reporting a record 39,000 new cases Tuesday.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei advised Raisi, a former judiciary chief, to “empower the country’s poor people and improve the national currency.”

Doubts about an imminent return to Tehran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal, which granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, have become a dark cloud hanging over the incoming hard-line administration.

While repeating his anti-West rhetoric Tuesday about Iran’s “enemies” seeking to sway public opinion, Khamenei struck a milder tone during the endorsement ceremony. He focused on Iran’s mounting domestic issues, praising Raisi’s anti-corruption campaign and asking him to encourage production.

“The nation needs competent, effective and brave management,” Khamenei said.