According to Iran’s Interior Ministry, reformist candidates obtained 10.4 million votes out of 24.5 million solid.
Anadolu Agency | Tehran, June 30, 2024:
Massoud Pezeshkian, a veteran Iranian lawmaker and former well being minister, gained probably the most votes in Friday’s presidential election, outdoing his rivals in a shocking victory.
According to the ultimate outcomes launched by Iran’s Interior Ministry on Saturday morning, lower than 12 hours after polls closed, reformist candidates gained 10.4 million votes out of a complete of 24.5 million votes counted.
Former prime nuclear negotiator Saeed Djalili got here in second with 9.4 million votes and can face Pezeskian in a runoff election on July 5.
A comparatively low-profile politician, Pezeshkian served as well being minister in Mohammed Khatami’s authorities from 2001 to 2005 and has represented the northwestern metropolis of Tabriz in Iran’s parliament since 2008.
Pezeshkian, a heart specialist, beforehand served as rector of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, one of many main medical establishments in northern Iran.
He ran for president in 2013 and 2021, each of which had been unsuccessful.
In 2013, he dropped out within the remaining phases of the election marketing campaign in assist of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, and in 2021 his candidacy was rejected by the nation’s highest vetting physique, the Guardian Council.
Pezeshkian is the one reformist candidate within the race and has been campaigning arduous over the previous few weeks with the assist of the nation’s main reformist coalition.
His marketing campaign was bolstered by the presence of many former reformist politicians and ministers, together with Javad Zarif, who served as Iran’s international minister for 2 phrases beneath former President Hassan Rouhani.
Pre-election polls confirmed sturdy assist for Pezeshkian, particularly after 5 televised debates through which he was vocal on each home and international coverage points.
President Pezechkian has expressed a optimistic perspective in direction of diplomatic engagement with the world, together with Western international locations, and has indicated his intention to provoke reforms in each the financial and cultural spheres.
During the presidential debates, he argued that sanctions had been an impediment to attracting buying and selling companions and that it was unattainable to realize 8 p.c progress with out opening borders.
He additionally passionately defended the 2015 nuclear deal reached between Iran and world powers beneath the federal government of fellow reformist President Hassan Rouhani.
Pezeshkian has additionally been vocal on women-centric points such because the obligatory sporting of the hijab (Islamic headband) and has voiced opposition to a parliamentary invoice on the implementation of an Islamic gown code invoice launched following the loss of life of Mahsa Amini in late 2022.