By Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran’s president-elect, a relative reasonable who beat a hardline rival to win election however who will seemingly be constrained in how a lot change he can impact, urged Iranians on Saturday to stay with him on “the difficult road ahead”.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the only reasonable within the unique discipline of 4 candidates, gained Friday’s run-off presidential vote towards former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. He’ll substitute hardline President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Might.
Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon, has pledged to advertise a practical overseas coverage, ease tensions over now-stalled negotiations with main powers to revive a 2015 nuclear pact and enhance prospects for social liberalisation and political pluralism.
Nonetheless many Iranians are sceptical about his capability to fulfil his marketing campaign guarantees as Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not the president, is the last word authority within the Islamic Republic.
“Dear people of Iran, the election is over, and this is just the beginning of our working together. A difficult road is ahead. It can only be smooth with your cooperation, empathy and trust,” Pezeshkian stated in a put up on social media platform X.
“I extend my hand to you and swear on my honour that I will not abandon you on this path. Do not abandon me.”
After the voting result’s confirmed by a hardline election watchdog physique and accredited by Khamenei, Pezeshkian will take the oath of workplace earlier than parliament in Tehran within the coming days.
Turnout was virtually 50% in Friday’s vote, following traditionally low turnout within the first spherical poll on June 28.
Pezeshkian managed to win with a constituency – whose core was believed to be principally the city center class and younger – that had been broadly disillusioned by years of safety crackdowns that stifled any public dissent from Islamist orthodoxy.
One Iranian supply stated Pezeshkian enjoys an insider standing and shut relationship with theocratic Khamenei, and could possibly construct bridges between factions to yield moderation, however not result in elementary modifications that many Iranians yearn for.
The Islamic Republic has skilled two approaches to reform. The primary from 1997 to 2005, was when President Mohammad Khatami sought political reforms, a stronger civil society, and extra press freedom, however was opposed by Khamenei and the highly effective Revolutionary Guards.
The second was led by pragmatist Hassan Rouhani from 2013 to 2021. He used his political capital to safe Khamenei’s consent to the 2015 nuclear pact, leaving nothing for home reforms.
FOREIGN POLICY
Pezeshkian’s victory lifted hopes of a thaw in Iran’s relations with the West which may create openings for defusing its nuclear dispute with world powers.
Commending what he known as a “high turnout”, Khamenei congratulated Pezeshkian on his win and counselled him to proceed Raisi’s insurance policies.
Movies on social media confirmed Pezeshkian’s supporters dancing in streets in lots of cities and cities throughout the nation and motorists honking automotive horns to cheer his victory.
The election coincided with escalating regional pressure as a result of conflicts between Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, in addition to elevated Western strain on Iran over its fast-advancing nuclear programme.
Underneath Iran’s twin system of clerical and republican rule, the president can not usher in any main coverage shift on Iran’s nuclear programme or assist for militia teams throughout the Center East, since Khamenei calls all of the photographs on prime state issues.
Nonetheless, the president can affect the tone of Iran’s coverage and he will likely be intently concerned in choosing the successor to Khamenei, now 85.
Backed by Iran’s reformist camp led by Khatami, Pezeshkian is devoted to Iran’s theocratic rule and has no intention of confronting the highly effective safety hawks and clerical rulers.
International leaders despatched congratulatory messages to Pezeshkian, amongst them Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
