2024-07-07 05:23:23
Iran’s election commission this morning declared Masoud Pezeshkian the new, ninth president of the Islamic Republic. Pezeshkian, a moderate, won the second round of the election with 53.3% of the vote, beating his rival Saeed Jalili, who received 44.3%. The turnout was 49.8%.
“9tv” writes about this.
Masoud Pezeshkian, 69, a cardiac surgeon by profession, has extensive experience in both medicine and politics. He served as a military doctor during the war with Iraq and later headed the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. From 2001 to 2005, he served as Iran’s health minister. Pezeshkian is considered a reformer who advocates for media freedom, restoring relations with the United States, and attracting foreign investors to boost the country’s economy.
However, in Iranian politics, the term “reformer” is conditional. Former President Hassan Rouhani was also classified as a reformer, but his powers were limited by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who determines the country’s strategy and main line. Therefore, one should not expect radical changes in Iran’s policy, especially towards Israel.
The new president is also a teacher of the Koran and a reciter of the Way of Eloquence, a key text for Shiite Muslims. He is a member of the Iran-Turkey Friendship Society and supports reviving the nuclear deal through negotiations with the United States and other Western countries in exchange for sanctions relief. Experts believe that the new president should not be expected to make significant changes in Iran’s domestic policies, except perhaps some concessions for the domestic opposition.
The snap presidential election was called after the death of Iran’s previous president, Ebrahim Raisi. His helicopter, carrying eight people, crashed on the evening of May 19 as the delegation was returning from Azerbaijan. The wreckage was found on the morning of May 20, and no one on board survived.
As the world watches political changes in Iran, it remains unclear what implications the new president will bring for the region. However, most analysts agree that there will be no dramatic changes in Iranian politics, especially in relations with Israel.
Earlier, Cursor wrote that a high-ranking IRGC official made a new anti-Israeli statement.