Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iran’s presidential election

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian won the second round of Iran’s presidential election this Saturday and will become the country’s next president, the Iranian election commission reported.

Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon, won 53.6% of the vote against ultra-conservative Saeed Jalili with 44.3%, who had 49.9% with 30,573,931 votes cast. “Thus, Mr. Masoud Pezeshkian is the winner of the fourteenth presidential election of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Iranian election commission spokesman Mohsen Eslami announced in a televised press conference.

The former health minister and parliamentarian will become the ninth president in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran and replace ultra-conservative Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May. After the results were announced, he offered a “hand of friendship to all” in a message of national reconciliation after a campaign in which he promised to open up the country and reconcile with the West.

“We will extend a hand of friendship to everyone. They are all from this country. We should use everyone for the country’s progress. They are our brothers,” the reformist politician told state television. “I had no party or support. These people came with love and helped and I thank them,” he said of his followers.

Iran’s newly elected president was a little-known politician at the start of the campaign, but he is gaining popularity with a message of moderation, reconciliation with the West and veiled criticism. He has managed to unite votes of discontent with the policies of Raisi, under whose government social and political repression has increased, while his campaign has fueled fears of Jalili, an ultra-conservative with a reputation for “non-violence”.

Pezeshkian will become the first president of the reformists, a political group that seeks some openness in the country in years at a time of strong regional tensions due to the war in Gaza, but also within the country due to the imposition of policies such as the veil and lack of freedom. The Iranian president has the power to decide on national issues and to a lesser extent on foreign and security policy in Iran, where the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, serves as head of state with vast powers.

The participation of the 61 million Iranians called to the polls was also at stake in the election and 49.8% of voters cast their vote, which represents an improvement from 39.9% in the first round. That 39.9% represents a record of abstentions in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has always attached great importance to participation as proof of popular support and legitimacy. This low participation revealed the dissatisfaction of a significant part of the population towards the political system established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979. EFE