A reformist and an ultraconservative are set for a runoff election this Friday after neither secured a majority in a first round marked by record-low voter turnout. The early election, prompted by the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a May helicopter crash, will see Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian face off against Saeed Jalili. The winner will inherit a nation struggling with a crippled economy, civil unrest, and foreign policy issues.
In the initial voting, 60% of eligible voters abstained or cast blank ballots, signaling widespread dissatisfaction with the political establishment. Pezeshkian led with over 10.4 million votes (42.4%), while Jalili garnered 9.47 million (38.6%). With third-place candidate Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf’s 13.8% now backing Jalili, the outcome remains uncertain as polling suggests Ghalibaf’s base may not fully support Jalili.
Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, a cardiac surgeon and Iran-Iraq war veteran, has held parliamentary and ministerial roles. Allowed to run likely to boost voter turnout, Pezeshkian has been endorsed by former President Mohammad Khatami. He aims to resume nuclear negotiations with the West, viewing U.S.-led sanctions as detrimental to Iran’s economy. Pezeshkian has openly criticized the government and opposed the violent enforcement of hijab laws post-Mahsa Amini protests.
Saeed Jalili, a hardliner and former nuclear negotiator known as “the living martyr” due to an Iran-Iraq war injury, epitomizes Iran’s most conservative ideologies. Close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Jalili opposes negotiations with the U.S., dismissing economic engagement with the West. Experts like Mehrzad Boroujerdi critique Jalili’s stance as unrealistic given Iran’s economic constraints.
As the runoff looms, the election underscores a polarized nation confronting internal and external challenges, with the presidency hanging in the balance.
Original Story https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/05/world/middleeast/irans-presidential-candidates-who-are-they.html
Category : Iran,Elections,Jalili, Saeed,Pezeshkian, Masoud,Guardian Council (Iran),International Relations,Politics and Government,Embargoes and Sanctions
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