Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian is the new president of Iran

The new Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has called for limited social reforms and engagement with the West on the nuclear program.

The reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian he won the ballot of presidential elections in Iran which was held yesterday, Friday 5 July, in which he beat the ultra-conservative candidate close to religious movements Saeed Jalili, former negotiator of the nuclear deal and head of Iran's top security body.

The victory was announced early this morning, Saturday, by state media.THE'voter turnout it was 49.8 percent, higher than the historic low of 40 percent recorded at first round, last week.To prevent low turnout, voting took place yesterday have been extended and the closing of the polls postponed by three and a half hours compared to the scheduled time.

Pezeshkian is in favor of moderate policies and during the election campaign he promoted a commitment, albeit limited, with the West to improve relations.The new president, little known outside Iran before the elections, he was the only authorized reformist and, perhaps also for this reason, he reached the run-off where he then obtained 16.3 million votes, almost 3 million more than Jalili, who received around 13.5 million.

The early elections were called after the death of Ebrahim Raisi occurred on May 19th in a helicopter crash, returning from a mission in Azerbaijan.

Pezeshkian's victory represents a significant defeat for Iran's ultra-conservative party, at a particular moment for the country.

Who is Masoud Pezeshkian

Low profile political figure, Pezeshkian was Minister of Health in the government of Mohammad Khatami between 2001 and 2005, and has represented the northwestern city of Tabriz in the Iranian Parliament since 2008. Cardiologist by profession, Pezeshkian previously directed the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, one of the leading medical institutions in northern Iran.

Already he previously tried to run at the helm of the country, in 2013 and 2021, but without success. In 2013 he retired from the presidential race in the final stages in favor of former president Hashemi Rafsanjani, while in 2021 his candidacy was rejected by the Guardian Council, the country's highest supervisory body.

Being theonly reformist candidate in the race this time, supported by the country's main reformist coalition, Pezeshkian committed to a frenetic election campaign in the last few weeks.His campaign was supported by several political figures and former reformist ministers, including Javad Zarif, who held the position of Foreign Minister during the presidency of Hassan Rouhani.

Fervent supporter ofnuclear deal of 2015, Pezeshkian he declared during the election campaign of wanting to create aopenness towards diplomacy with the whole world, including the West, and to want to initiate reforms in the economic and cultural fields.

My government would oppose the Morality Police and I strongly oppose any form of coercion against any human being.We have no right to force women and girls and I am ashamed of these behaviors towards them.

Masoud Pezeshkian

During the presidential debates, stated that sanctions constitute an obstacle to the attraction of business partners and that achieving a growth rate of 8% is impossible without the opening of borders.

Pezeshkian he also expressed himself on issues affecting women, including the obligation to wear the hijab, or Islamic veil, expressing opposition to the tightening of the dress code wanted by the Raisi presidency.

They will be many challenges that the new president will have to face, both domestically and internationally.On the one hand, we need to see how Pezeshkian will move with respect to internal movements, including that of "Woman, life and freedom” born after the death of Mahsa Amini, on the other the management of tensions, not only with the West, but with Israel.

Although Pezeshkian's election seems like an endorsement for change, the president will still have to follow the line of the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.It is the supreme leader who decides the general policy of the country, even before the president of the Islamic Republic.And it is very interestingPezeshkian's opening to the West because, most likely, it comes from Khamenei same.However, Pezeshkian is at the top of the executive power, so his figure is fundamental for setting internal and international policies.