Iran’s New President, Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, Elected in Landslide Victory
In a historic election, reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as Iran’s new president, defeating his hardline conservative rival Saeed Jalili. The vote results were declared in Dr. Pezeshkian’s favor after he secured 53.3% of the more than 30 million votes counted, while Mr. Jalili polled at 44.3%.
The run-off election came after no candidate secured a majority in the first round, which saw a historically low voter turnout of 40%. The election was called after Iran’s previous president, Ebrahim Raisi, tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in May, along with seven others.
Dr. Pezeshkian, a 71-year-old heart surgeon and member of the Iranian parliament, has already garnered congratulations from the leaders of China, India, and Russia. Even before the final results were declared, his supporters took to the streets in Tehran and other cities to celebrate his victory.
Videos posted on social media showed jubilant crowds waving the green flag of his campaign and dancing in the streets. Dr. Pezeshkian has promised “unity and cohesion” and an end to Iran’s isolation from the world. He has also expressed a desire for constructive negotiations with Western powers to renew the 2015 nuclear deal.
In contrast, his rival Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator, favored maintaining the status quo and had a strong base of support among Iran’s most religious communities. Turnout in the latest round of voting was higher at 50%, indicating a slight increase from the first round.
The election saw widespread discontent among Iranians, with many boycotting the polls due to a lack of choice in candidates and frustration with the tight control of policies by the supreme leader. Some voters who abstained in the first round chose to cast their ballots for Dr. Pezeshkian to prevent Mr. Jalili from winning, fearing further confrontation with the outside world.
Both candidates had to pass a vetting process by the Guardian Council, a body criticized for disqualifying candidates not loyal enough to the regime. Despite years of civil unrest and mistrust of the establishment, Dr. Pezeshkian’s victory signals a potential shift towards reform in Iran’s political landscape.
