Masoud Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon, secured 16.3 million votes, about 3 million more than those received by his conservative opponent, Saeed Jalili. It was a major victory for the country’s relatively moderate reformist camp, which has been sidelined in the past few years.
The first round of voting had a record low turnout as many Iranians boycotted it in protest. But the prospect of a hard-line administration, which could have reinforced strict social rules and exacerbated economic troubles by failing to negotiate to lift international sanctions, apparently pushed voters to turn out.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wields the most power in government. But analysts said the incoming president would set domestic policy and influence the shape of foreign policies. Here are four takeaways.
What’s next: With Pezeshkian as president, Iran may see a softening of its absolutist foreign policy and even an opportunity for a new diplomatic opening.
