Reformer Massoud Pezeshkian elected new president

Reformist Massoud Pezeshkian has been elected Iran’s new president, beating his hardline conservative rival Saeed Jalili.

The vote was declared in Dr Pezeshkian’s favour after he secured 53.3% of the greater than 30 million votes counted. Mr Jalili polled 44.3%.

The run-off got here after no candidate secured a majority within the first spherical of the election on 28 June, which noticed a traditionally low voter turnout of 40%.

The election was referred to as after Iran’s earlier president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in Could, wherein seven others died.

Even earlier than the ultimate outcomes had been declared by Iran’s inside ministry, Dr Pezeshkian’s supporters had taken to the streets in Tehran and numerous different cities to have a good time.

Movies posted on social media confirmed largely younger folks dance and wave the signature inexperienced flag of his marketing campaign, whereas passing vehicles sounded their horns.

Dr Pezeshkian, a former coronary heart surgeon, is important of Iran’s infamous morality police and brought about a stir after promising “unity and cohesion”, in addition to an finish to Iran’s “isolation” from the world.

He has additionally referred to as for “constructive negotiations” with Western powers over a renewal of the faltering 2015 nuclear deal wherein Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for an easing of Western sanctions.

His rival, Saeed Jalili, favours the established order. The previous nuclear negotiator enjoys sturdy help amongst Iran’s most non secular communities.

Mr Jalili is thought for his hardline anti-Western stance and opposition to restoring the nuclear deal, which he says crossed Iran’s “purple traces”.

Turnout within the newest spherical of voting was 50% – increased than the primary spherical final week, when the turnout was the bottom for the reason that Islamic revolution in 1979 amid widespread discontent, however nonetheless low.

Widespread discontent meant that tens of millions of individuals boycotted the elections.

Lack of selection within the candidates, dominated by Islamic laborious liners, and the impossibility of actual change so long as the supreme chief tightly controls insurance policies added to their frustration.

Some individuals who didn’t vote within the first spherical had been persuaded to solid their poll for Dr Pezeshkian this time spherical to stop Mr Jalili from turning into the president.

They feared that with the victory of Mr Jalili, Iran could be heading for extra confrontation with the surface world and that he would carry Iran nothing however extra sanctions and extra isolation.

With the intention to stand, each candidates needed to make it by way of a vetting course of run by the Guardian Council, a physique made up of 12 clerics and jurists that maintain important energy in Iran.

That course of noticed 74 different candidates faraway from the race, together with a number of girls.

The Guardian Council has beforehand been criticised by human rights teams for disqualifying candidates who usually are not loyal sufficient to the regime.

After years of civil unrest – culminating in anti-regime protests that shook the nation in 2022-23 – many younger and middle-class Iranians deeply distrust the institution and have beforehand refused to vote.

On Iranian social media, the Persian hashtag “traitorous minority” has gone viral, urging folks to not vote for both of the candidates and calling anybody who does so a “traitor”.

However Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected strategies that the low turnout represents a rejection of his rule.

“There are causes [behind the low turnout] and politicians and sociologists will study them, but when anybody thinks that those that didn’t vote are in opposition to the institution, they’re plainly improper,” he mentioned.

In a uncommon transfer, he acknowledged that some Iranians don’t settle for the present regime. “We hearken to them and we all know what they’re saying and it’s not like they’re hidden and never seen,” Mr Khamenei mentioned.

Inside Iran, native media has inspired folks to solid ballots.

Reformist day by day newspaper Sazandegi mentioned “the long run is tied to your votes” whereas the Hammihan newspaper mentioned “now it is your flip”.

Tehran municipality-run day by day newspaper Hamshahri printed a bit entitled “100 causes for voting”, whereas the state broadcaster-run day by day newspaper Jaam-e Jam mentioned Iran was “awaiting the folks”.