Iran’s hardline diplomat, sole moderate to square off in presidential run-off

DUBAI – A moderate lawmaker will face Iran’s supreme leader’s protege in a run-off presidential election on July 5, after the country’s Interior Ministry said on June 29 that no candidate secured enough votes in the first round of voting.

The June 28 vote to replace Mr Ebrahim Raisi after his death in a helicopter crash came down to a tight race between low-profile lawmaker Massoud Pezeshkian, the sole moderate in a field of four candidates, and former Revolutionary Guards member Saeed Jalili.

The ministry said neither secured the 50 per cent plus one vote of the over 25 million ballots cast required to win outright, with Mr Pezeshkian leading with over 10 million votes, while Mr Jalili had more than 9.4 million votes.

Power in Iran ultimately lies with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, so the result will not herald any major policy shift on Iran’s nuclear programme or its support for militia groups across the Middle East.

But the president runs the government day to day and can influence the tone of Iran’s policy.

The clerical establishment had hoped for a high turnout as it faced a legitimacy crisis fuelled by public discontent over economic hardship and curbs on political and social freedom. However, the turnout during the June 28 vote hit a historic low of about 40 per cent, based on the Interior Ministry’s count released the following day.

The election comes at a time of escalating regional tension due to the war between Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as increased Western pressure on Iran over its fast-advancing nuclear programme.

With Iran’s supreme leader now 85, it is likely that the next president will be closely involved in the process of choosing a successor to Mr Khamenei, who seeks a fiercely loyal president who can ensure a smooth eventual succession to his own position, insiders and analysts say.

Anti-Western views of Mr Jalili, Iran’s former uncompromising nuclear negotiator, offer a contrast to those of Mr Pezeshkian. Analysts said Mr Jalili’s win would signal the possibility of an even more antagonistic turn in the Islamic Republic’s foreign and domestic policies.

But a victory for mild-mannered lawmaker Pezeshkian might help ease tensions with the West and improve chances of economic reform, social liberalisation and political pluralism.

Mr Pezeshkian, faithful to Iran’s theocratic rule, is backed by the reformist faction that has largely been sidelined in Iran in recent years.

“We will respect the hijab law, but there should never be any intrusive or inhumane behaviour towards women,” Mr Pezeshkian said after casting his vote.

He was referring to the death of Ms Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, in 2022 while in morality police custody for allegedly violating the mandatory Islamic dress code.

The unrest sparked by her death spiralled into the biggest show of opposition to Iran’s clerical rulers in years. REUTERS