Iran: Ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi was elected as President of Iran on Saturday. His result signifies throwback many political heavyweights who contested for the post of President.

He won 62% of the vote with about 90% of ballots counted from Friday’s election, said election officials. Three other candidates had conceded defeat, without releasing turnout figures. Outgoing moderate President Hassan Rouhani said that I congratulate the people on their choice. He served the maximum of two consecutive four year terms and leaves office in August.

Raisi is close aide to Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ultimate political power in Iran. The polling was extended by two hours on Friday as per the schedule original midnight deadline amid fears of 50% or less of low turnout.

Many voters are not interested to vote and chose to stay away from voting in the elections, after the field of some 600 hopefuls including 40 women had been winnowed down to seven candidates. Three of the vetted candidates dropped out of the race two days before Friday’s election. Raisi received the congratulations of the incumbent and the three other candidates ultraconservatives Mohsen Rezai and Amirhossein Qazizadeh Hashemi and reformist Abdolnasser Hemmati.