Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist candidate and heart surgeon, has won the presidential election in Iran, beating out hardline conservative Saeed Jalili. The interior ministry confirmed his victory, with Pezeshkian receiving 16.3 million of the 30 million votes cast. This election followed the death of former president Ebrahim Raisi. Pezeshkian promised to reach out to the West and ease enforcement of the country’s mandatory headscarf law, a move that was well-received by his supporters who celebrated in the streets and honked car horns.
The run-off election occurred after a historically low turnout in the first round, with over 60% of Iranian voters abstaining. Pezeshkian was the only moderate candidate out of six running. He is expected to be welcomed by world leaders for seeking peaceful solutions to Iran’s nuclear program. However, he may face resistance from hard-liners in the Iranian government, who still hold considerable power.
Pezeshkian pledged to make no radical changes to Iran’s Shiite theocracy, recognizing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s authority. The election comes during heightened regional tensions, with Iran launching attacks on Israel and supporting militia groups involved in conflicts in the region. Despite these challenges, Pezeshkian’s victory has sparked hope for positive change in Iran’s future leadership.
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