Heart surgeon and reform advocate Masoud Pezeshkian has secured victory in Iran’s contested presidential runoff, beating his rival Saeed Jalili. Pezeshkian, who has pledged to pursue reforms and improve relations with the West, won 53.7% of the votes, totaling 16.3 million, compared to Jalili’s 44.3%, or 13.5 million votes.
“By gaining a majority of the votes cast on Friday, Pezeshkian has become Iran’s next president,” the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday.
In his first remarks after the victory, Pezeshkian emphasized inclusivity, stating, “We are all people of this country; we will use everyone for the progress of the country.” His call for unity was broadcast on state television.
Jalili conceded defeat soon after the results were declared, urging Iranians to support the president-elect. “Not only should he be respected, but now we must use all our strength and help him move forward,” Jalili said on television.
Voter turnout was 49.8% in this runoff, held after the June 28 ballot to find a successor to Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.
Political analysts suggest Pezeshkian’s victory could lead to a more pragmatic foreign policy, reduced tensions over stalled negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, and improved prospects for social liberalization in Iran.
