"Reformist" New President in Iran – Promises Change

The heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian has won the presidential election in Iran. In the election condemned by the outside world, only candidates loyal to the Islamic regime were allowed to stand. And the "reformist" Pezeshkian is expected to have very small chances of changing the closed country.

» Updated:

» Published:

"Reformist" New President in Iran – Promises Change
Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP/TT

Share this article

Heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian has won the presidential election in Iran.

In the election condemned by the outside world, only candidates loyal to the Islamic regime were allowed to stand. And "reformist" Pezeshkian is expected to have very small chances of changing the closed country.

69-year-old Pezeshkian – the only one of the six presidential candidates described as "reformist" – gathered, according to the authorities' first count, 16.3 million votes. His opponent, ultra-conservative Saeed Jalili, received 13.5 million.

After the election victory, Pezeshkian writes in a first comment on X that he "extends his hand" to the Iranian people. The platform is, however, forbidden for the Iranian population.

The former health minister represents a somewhat more open relationship towards the USA and Europe, and the victory gives cautious hopes in the outside world. After 22-year-old Mahsa Amini's death in Iranian custody in 2022 – which led to unusually widespread regime-critical protests in the country – Pezeshkian described the death as "unacceptable".

Ayatollah decides

But when the street protests grew in scope, Pezeshkian backed down – and warned the demonstrators not to insult the country's highest leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The U-turn highlights the essence of Iranian politics, analyzes Politico. Regardless of how reformist Pezeshkian is, he cannot or may not challenge the ayatollah, who in the Iranian political system has the final say in all matters of importance. In practice, the conditions for reforms during Pezeshkian's time in power are therefore extremely small.

In a debate last week, he promised change, however.

We are losing our support in society due to our behavior, our high prices, our treatment of women, and because we censor the internet, he said on state Iranian TV.

Low turnout

Many Iranians boycotted the election. The voting was supposed to have ended at 6 pm on Friday evening, but was extended to midnight to increase participation. According to the authorities, the voter turnout in the second round was just under 50 percent, with over 600,000 votes deemed invalid.

Khamenei has congratulated Pezeshkian on his victory and urges him to "put his trust in God". The ayatollah also praises the voter turnout, despite the low figures. They are, according to him, due to a boycott campaign "orchestrated by the enemies of the Iranian nation to create despair and feelings of hopelessness".

In the first round, only 40 percent voted – the lowest turnout since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

With the election victory, Pezeshkian succeeds the former President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.

Corrected: An earlier version contained an incorrect vote count.

A presidential election in one of the world's toughest dictatorships works as follows:

The candidates who register their interest are first screened by the so-called Guardian Council.

The Guardian Council consists of six religiously learned men appointed by the highest leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and six legally learned men appointed by the head of the country's judiciary.

The head of the judiciary is, in turn, also appointed by the ayatollah.

When the Guardian Council has taken a stance on the candidates, the population can choose among those approved by the leadership. In this year's presidential election, which followed the death of the former President Ebrahim Raisi in May, six candidates were allowed to stand.

Since none of the candidates received enough votes in the first round on June 28, a second round was held between the two who received the most votes – 69-year-old Masoud Pezeshkian and 58-year-old Saeed Jalili – on July 5.

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Over 300 Korean Workers Flown Home on Korean Air Charter After Georgia Detention

Over 300 Korean Workers Flown Home on Korean Air Charter After Georgia Detention

Green Party Uses Humor in Norwegian Government Talks

Green Party Uses Humor in Norwegian Government Talks

Rubio Affirms US Unwavering Support for Israel's Gaza Goals

Rubio Affirms US Unwavering Support for Israel's Gaza Goals

Ukraine Faces Intensified Russian Drone and Missile Attacks: Is Air Defense Enough?

Ukraine Faces Intensified Russian Drone and Missile Attacks: Is Air Defense Enough?

Thunberg's Convoy Departs Tunisia for Gaza with Aid and Activists

Thunberg's Convoy Departs Tunisia for Gaza with Aid and Activists

1,200 Civilians Affected by Cluster Bombs in Ukraine Since 2022

1,200 Civilians Affected by Cluster Bombs in Ukraine Since 2022

Turkey Court Delays Verdict on Opposition Party Election Case

Turkey Court Delays Verdict on Opposition Party Election Case

320,000 Palestinians Evacuate Gaza City Amid Israeli Military Warnings

320,000 Palestinians Evacuate Gaza City Amid Israeli Military Warnings

Trump's Unique Second State Visit to UK: Royal Welcome Planned

Trump's Unique Second State Visit to UK: Royal Welcome Planned

Starlink Outage Impacts Ukraine's Defense Operations

Starlink Outage Impacts Ukraine's Defense Operations

Australia Faces Major Climate Change Impacts Over Next 25 Years

Australia Faces Major Climate Change Impacts Over Next 25 Years

EU Faces Backlash Over Trade Deal with Trump Amid Criticism

EU Faces Backlash Over Trade Deal with Trump Amid Criticism

Island Residents in Equatorial Guinea Face Year-Long Internet Shutdown

Island Residents in Equatorial Guinea Face Year-Long Internet Shutdown

Trump Urges Israel to Be Cautious After Qatar Attack

Trump Urges Israel to Be Cautious After Qatar Attack

Far-Right Gains Momentum in German Local Elections

Far-Right Gains Momentum in German Local Elections

Lula Defends Bolsonaro Verdict as Upholding Democracy, Not a Witch Hunt

Lula Defends Bolsonaro Verdict as Upholding Democracy, Not a Witch Hunt

Over 100,000 Join Pro-Palestinian Protest in Madrid, Disrupting Cycling Event

Over 100,000 Join Pro-Palestinian Protest in Madrid, Disrupting Cycling Event

Massive Ankara Protest Backs Turkish Opposition Amid Court Case

Massive Ankara Protest Backs Turkish Opposition Amid Court Case

Romania Summons Russian Ambassador Over Drone Airspace Violation

Romania Summons Russian Ambassador Over Drone Airspace Violation

Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Not Cooperating with Authorities

Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Not Cooperating with Authorities