Mr Rouhani's return

A strong mandate raises the stakes for Iran's president

The resounding electoral victory for the comparative moderate, Hassan Rouhani, in Iran provided an ironic contrast to the meeting between US President Donald Trump and leaders of Saudi Arabia and Gulf states allies, all models of uncompromising dictatorship. Mr Trump and the Republican Party have been fierce opponents of a breakthrough nuclear deal signed between Mr Rouhani and then US President Barack Obama in 2015. The accord ended the decades-long international oil and financial sanctions in return for Iran ending its uranium enrichment programme. Mr Rouhani’s victory with 57 per cent of the ballot in an election with a record