Ebrahim Raisi, a candidate in Iran’s presidential elections is set to take over Iran’s presidency as the man he will replace pledged a smooth transition a day after millions voted in an election that critics boycotted over economic woes and political restrictions.

Mr. Raisi; a hardline Judge who is subject to United States sanctions, has so far won 17.8 million votes, the interior ministry official; Jamal Orfi revealed this in a televised news conference. Raisi has defeated three other candidates in a poll in which most would-be candidates were barred from standing.

There were long queues yesterday at polling stations but the final results are expected to be announced by mid-day on Saturday.

Raisi, who during his political campaigns vows to fight corruption, is under U.S. sanctions for the execution of political prisoners in the 80′. He was one of four judges who oversaw death sentences for about 5,000 prisoners, according to Amnesty International.

Amnesty also says that as head of the judiciary Mr Raisi oversaw impunity for officials and security forces accused of killing protesters during unrest in 2019.

Mr. Raisi will succeed Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist prevented under the constitution from serving a third four-year term as president.

Iran’s president is the second-highest-ranking official in the country, after the supreme leader.

According to BBC Persian correspondent; Kasra Naji, if Mr Raisi finally becomes the President, Iran’s will seek to reinforce a puritanical system of Islamic government, possibly meaning more controls on social activities, fewer freedoms and jobs for women, and tighter control of social media and the press.

But the question is, will the US forgive Raisi for his offenses in the past?