Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist contender and heart surgeon, won Iran’s presidential runoff election on Saturday. He won by promising to cooperate with the West and ease enforcement of the country’s mandatory headscarf legislation, following a period of sanctions and protests that strained the Islamic Republic. Pezeshkian‘s opponent, hardliner Saeed Jalili, was defeated in the election.
Masoud Pezeshkian is now set to become Iran’s next President and will replace Ebrahim Raisi, who was once seen as the successor of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini before his untimely demise in a helicopter crash on May 19. Pezeshkian was pitted against hardline candidate Saeed Jalili in the run-off presidential elections on Friday and won 16.3 million votes against the latter’s 13.5 million.
Pezeshkian has aligned himself with other moderate and reformist figures during his campaign for his presidential bid. His main advocate has been former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who reached Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that saw sanctions lifted in exchange for the atomic program being drastically curtailed. The deal was eventually withdrawn by former US President Donald Trump.
However, Masoud Pezeshkian’s modest goals are likely to be thwarted by an Iranian government still dominated by hardliners, the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip, and Western concerns about Tehran’s enrichment of uranium to near-weapons-grade levels.
Pezeshkian’s fans rushed to the streets in Tehran and other metropolitan areas as his lead over Jalili, a conservative former nuclear negotiator, grew.
باید همۀ توانمان را به کار بگیریم و منتخب ملت را کمک کنیم تا با قدرت پیش برود. pic.twitter.com/mhzdk8xjEm
— Saeed Jalili | سعید جلیلی (@DrSaeedJalili) July 6, 2024
Masoud Pezeshkian, as the President-elect of Iran, is likely to bring a different approach compared to previous administrations.
- Reformist Agenda: Pezeshkian is associated with the reformist camp, which advocates for social and political change. His policies may prioritize civil liberties, human rights, and democratic reforms.
- Healthcare Focus: Given his expertise as a heart surgeon, healthcare reforms could be a key priority. Improving medical infrastructure, access to quality healthcare, and addressing health-related challenges might be on his agenda.
- Economic Policies: Pezeshkian will likely address economic issues such as inflation, unemployment, and income inequality. His approach may differ from previous administrations in terms of economic management and development strategies.
- Foreign Relations: Expectations for engagement with the international community may shift. Pezeshkian might seek to ease tensions and improve relations with other countries, especially in light of Iran’s geopolitical context.
