Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian Elected President of Iran Amid Historic Low Voter Turnout

Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist candidate and former Health Minister of Iran, has been elected as the President, according to the country’s Electoral Authority. Pezeshkian secured over 16 million votes in the runoff election, defeating his rival, hardliner Saeed Jalili, who garnered fewer than 14 million votes. This election recorded the lowest voter turnout since the founding of the Islamic Republic, with less than half of the eligible voters participating. The victory of Pezeshkian, the only reform candidate allowed to run, reflects a potential protest vote against Iran’s power centers, even as debates continue about the actual impact a reformist president can have within the power structure of the Islamic Republic.

• Masoud Pezeshkian won the Iranian presidential election with over 16 million votes.
• The election saw the lowest turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic, with less than half of eligible voters casting ballots.
• Pezeshkian was the only reformist candidate allowed to run, defeating hardliner Saeed Jalili.
• The victory is seen as a potential protest vote against Iran’s supreme leader and the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
• Despite being labeled a reformist, Pezeshkian’s ability to effectuate significant change is questionable due to the power structure in Iran, where the supreme leader and the IRGC hold ultimate power.
• Iran’s policies, especially concerning nuclear issues and regional policies, are decided by the Supreme Leader and the IRGC, not the president.
• Pezeshkian’s presidency might serve as a “nicer face” to the West, potentially easing some pressures but unlikely to lead to substantive policy changes.

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