In Tehran [Iran], reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won a victory in the presidential elections in Iran, CNN reported, citing Press TV.
Of the 30.5 million votes counted in Friday's runoff, Pezeshkian received more than 16.3 million votes, while his ultraconservative rival Saeed Jalili received more than 13.5 million votes, CNN said. .
According to data from the electoral headquarters sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior, in Iran's presidential elections the voter turnout was 49.8 percent, according to the report. Pezeshkian was elected in a second round of voting after having received the highest number of votes in the first round, ahead of Jalili. The first round saw the lowest turnout in a presidential election since Iran was established in 1979.
He will become president of a country facing growing international isolation, domestic unrest, a spiraling economy and the prospect of direct conflict with Israel.
Early elections were held in Iran after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials in remote northwest Iran in May. Pezeshkian was the only reformist candidate running for the highest elected seat in Iran after dozens of other candidates were prevented from running. He has supported holding talks with Iran's enemies, especially over its nuclear program, and sees it as a means to address internal problems in Iran.
In a recent presidential debate, Pezeshkian said, "The main question is perspective: do we want to solve our problems with the world or not? I think we need to break the deadlock to solve the country's problems."
The president of Iran enjoys some powers. However, ultimate authority rests with Iran's supreme leader, who has the final say in matters of state. Masoud Pezeshkian was Minister of Health during the government of reformist President Mohammad Khatami. He is a trained cardiac surgeon and legislator. He caught people's attention for his stance against the repression of the 2009 pro-democracy protests and the violence perpetrated by the notorious morality police in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini.
Mahsa Amini died in moral police custody after being detained for not following Iran's strict dress code for women. Hundreds of people died and thousands were arrested because authorities wanted to suppress the protest, CNN reported, citing the United Nations.
Amini died in moral police custody after being detained for failing to comply with the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women. According to the United Nations, hundreds of people were killed and thousands arrested as authorities attempted to crush the protests. During the 2022 protests, Pezeshkian, in an interview with Iran's IRINN TV channel, said: "It's our fault. We want to implement the religious faith through the use of force. This is scientifically impossible."
He said: "I am partly to blame, the distinguished religious scholars and mosques are partly to blame, and the (Iranian) broadcasting authority is partly to blame."
And he added: "Everyone should step forward and be accountable, instead of capturing that girl, beating her and finally giving her body (to her family)." Pezeshkian (69) has run as a candidate for the entire people from Iran. After losing his wife and one of his children in a car accident in 1994, he devoted much of his time to politics. He ran for president in the 2013 and 2021 elections. However, he failed to advance.
He comes from an ethnically mixed family. His father is Azeri, his mother is Kurdish and his native language is not Persian. that has burnished
The 69-year-old comes from an ethnically mixed family: his father is Azeri and his mother is Kurdish. Persian is not his native language. That has burnished his image among minorities in Iran. However, it has him exposed to xenophobic attacks from some opponents. According to experts, a more moderate face as Iran's president could facilitate talks between Iran and Western nations. Pezeshkian could also bring some social changes, which he talked about during his election campaign. However, experts have said such measures are far from guaranteed.
Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the Chatham House think tank in London, said Pezeshkian's election is unlikely to immediately translate into policy changes.
Vakil further said: "But Pezeshkian has made it clear that he will try to work through the system and within it to perhaps adapt to a less repressive environment," CNN reported. He stated that the reformist did not guarantee that he could make those changes, adding that this shows the limits of presidential powers in Iran. Vakil added: "But (you can add) a little more room for maneuver on social freedoms."
He will become president of Iran at a time when Iran faces rising tensions with Israel and its Western allies, sparked by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the advancement of Iran's nuclear program.
A few months ago, Iran and Israel exchanged fire for the first time as the conflict in Gaza expanded. Israel is now preparing for a possible second front against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Last week, Iran's mission to the United Nations said that if Israel "embarks on large-scale military aggression" against Lebanon, then it "will will produce an annihilating war," CNN reported.
In a post on X, Iran's UN mission stated: "All options, including full participation of all Resistance Fronts, are on the table."
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that "a regime that threatens to destroy deserves to be destroyed." According to experts, Pezeshkian is not expected to change the trajectory towards Israel.
Of the 30.5 million votes counted in Friday's runoff, Pezeshkian received more than 16.3 million votes, while his ultraconservative rival Saeed Jalili received more than 13.5 million votes, CNN said. .
According to data from the electoral headquarters sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior, in Iran's presidential elections the voter turnout was 49.8 percent, according to the report. Pezeshkian was elected in a second round of voting after having received the highest number of votes in the first round, ahead of Jalili. The first round saw the lowest turnout in a presidential election since Iran was established in 1979.
He will become president of a country facing growing international isolation, domestic unrest, a spiraling economy and the prospect of direct conflict with Israel.
Early elections were held in Iran after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials in remote northwest Iran in May. Pezeshkian was the only reformist candidate running for the highest elected seat in Iran after dozens of other candidates were prevented from running. He has supported holding talks with Iran's enemies, especially over its nuclear program, and sees it as a means to address internal problems in Iran.
In a recent presidential debate, Pezeshkian said, "The main question is perspective: do we want to solve our problems with the world or not? I think we need to break the deadlock to solve the country's problems."
The president of Iran enjoys some powers. However, ultimate authority rests with Iran's supreme leader, who has the final say in matters of state. Masoud Pezeshkian was Minister of Health during the government of reformist President Mohammad Khatami. He is a trained cardiac surgeon and legislator. He caught people's attention for his stance against the repression of the 2009 pro-democracy protests and the violence perpetrated by the notorious morality police in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini.
Mahsa Amini died in moral police custody after being detained for not following Iran's strict dress code for women. Hundreds of people died and thousands were arrested because authorities wanted to suppress the protest, CNN reported, citing the United Nations.
Amini died in moral police custody after being detained for failing to comply with the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women. According to the United Nations, hundreds of people were killed and thousands arrested as authorities attempted to crush the protests. During the 2022 protests, Pezeshkian, in an interview with Iran's IRINN TV channel, said: "It's our fault. We want to implement the religious faith through the use of force. This is scientifically impossible."
He said: "I am partly to blame, the distinguished religious scholars and mosques are partly to blame, and the (Iranian) broadcasting authority is partly to blame."
And he added: "Everyone should step forward and be accountable, instead of capturing that girl, beating her and finally giving her body (to her family)." Pezeshkian (69) has run as a candidate for the entire people from Iran. After losing his wife and one of his children in a car accident in 1994, he devoted much of his time to politics. He ran for president in the 2013 and 2021 elections. However, he failed to advance.
He comes from an ethnically mixed family. His father is Azeri, his mother is Kurdish and his native language is not Persian. that has burnished
The 69-year-old comes from an ethnically mixed family: his father is Azeri and his mother is Kurdish. Persian is not his native language. That has burnished his image among minorities in Iran. However, it has him exposed to xenophobic attacks from some opponents. According to experts, a more moderate face as Iran's president could facilitate talks between Iran and Western nations. Pezeshkian could also bring some social changes, which he talked about during his election campaign. However, experts have said such measures are far from guaranteed.
Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the Chatham House think tank in London, said Pezeshkian's election is unlikely to immediately translate into policy changes.
Vakil further said: "But Pezeshkian has made it clear that he will try to work through the system and within it to perhaps adapt to a less repressive environment," CNN reported. He stated that the reformist did not guarantee that he could make those changes, adding that this shows the limits of presidential powers in Iran. Vakil added: "But (you can add) a little more room for maneuver on social freedoms."
He will become president of Iran at a time when Iran faces rising tensions with Israel and its Western allies, sparked by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the advancement of Iran's nuclear program.
A few months ago, Iran and Israel exchanged fire for the first time as the conflict in Gaza expanded. Israel is now preparing for a possible second front against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Last week, Iran's mission to the United Nations said that if Israel "embarks on large-scale military aggression" against Lebanon, then it "will will produce an annihilating war," CNN reported.
In a post on X, Iran's UN mission stated: "All options, including full participation of all Resistance Fronts, are on the table."
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that "a regime that threatens to destroy deserves to be destroyed." According to experts, Pezeshkian is not expected to change the trajectory towards Israel.
