Friday's vote to replace Ebrahim Raisi after his death in
a helicopter crash came down to a tight race between a low-profile
lawmaker Massoud Pezeshkian, the sole moderate in a field of four candidates,
and former Revolutionary Guards member Saeed Jalili.
The interior ministry said neither secured the 50% plus one
vote of over 25 million ballots cast required to win outright, with Pezeshkian
leading with over 10 million votes ahead of Jalili with over 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 program 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 hoped for a high turnout as it
faces a legitimacy crisis fuelled by public discontent over economic
hardship and curbs on political and social freedom. However, turnout in
Friday's vote hit a historic low of about 40%, based on interior ministry count
released on Saturday.
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 program.
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 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 Jalili, Iran's former uncompromising
nuclear negotiator, offer a contrast to those of Pezeshkian. Analysts said
Jalili's win would signal the possibility of an even more antagonistic turn in
the Islamic Republic's foreign and domestic policy.
But a victory for mild-mannered lawmaker Pezeshkian might
help ease tensions with the West, improve chances of economic reform, social
liberalization and political pluralism.
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 toward women," Pezeshkian said
after casting his vote.
He was referring to the death of 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 Amini's death spiraled into the
biggest show of opposition to Iran's clerical rulers in years.
