Israel says Iran's Raisi extreme, committed to nuclear programme

Israelon Saturday condemnedIran'snewly-elected president EbrahimRaisi, saying he was its mostextremepresident yet andcommittedto quickly advancing Tehran'snuclearprogramme.

"Iran’s new president, known as the Butcher of Tehran, is an extremist responsible for the deaths of thousands of Iranians. He iscommittedto the regime'snuclearambitions and to its campaign of global terror," Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said on Twitter.

A separate statement from theIsraeli Foreign Ministry saidRaisi's election should "prompt grave concern among the international community."

Israel's new government, sworn in on Sunday, has said it would object to the revival of a 2015nucleardeal between world powers and its arch-foe, Iran.

Israelsees anuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat. Tehran denies seekingnuclearweapons.

Toeing the policy line set by the administration ofIsrael's former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the foreign ministry said: "More than ever, Iran’snuclearprogram must be halted immediately, rolled back entirely and stopped indefinitely."

"Iran’s ballistic missile program must be dismantled and its global terror campaign vigorously countered by a broad international coalition."

Raisi, a hardline judge who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday inIran'spresidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions.