IRAN’S PRESIDENT-ELECT PEZESHKIAN PLEDGES UNITY IN VICTORY SPEECH

Sat 06 July 2024:

Iran’s president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian has committed to uniting all Iranians in his first statement following his victory over hardline opponent Saeed Jalili in a run-off election.

“The difficult path ahead will not be smooth except with your companionship, empathy, and trust. I extend my hand to you,” Pezeshkian posted on X on Saturday, reiterating his earlier promise to “extend the hand of friendship to everyone” if he won.

Pezeshkian secured 53.7 percent of the votes, or 16.3 million out of over 30 million cast, according to the Ministry of Interior. Jalili received 44.3 percent, or 13.5 million votes. After the results were announced, Jalili conceded defeat and urged respect for the elected president, stating, “Not only should he be respected, but now we must use all our strength and help him move forward with strength.”

Celebrations erupted with small groups of Pezeshkian supporters taking to the streets. The election saw a turnout of 49.8 percent, highlighting public skepticism about political change. Pezeshkian, the only moderate candidate in the original field of four, has promised to open Iran to the world, while Jalili advocated for closer ties with Russia and China.

The run-off followed a June 28 ballot with historically low turnout, where more than 60 percent of Iranian voters abstained after the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May. In that election, Pezeshkian received about 42.5 percent of the votes, and Jalili received 38.7 percent. Only 40 percent of 61 million eligible voters participated, marking the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar reported that about 50 percent of Iranians did not vote due to a lack of faith in the election bringing change, whether the winner is a conservative or a reformist. Some boycotted the election in silent protest.

Analysts believe Pezeshkian’s victory could promote a pragmatic foreign policy, ease tensions over stalled nuclear deal negotiations, and improve prospects for social liberalization and political pluralism. However, many Iranians are skeptical about his ability to fulfill his promises, given his stated reluctance to confront Iran’s powerful elite of Muslim scholars and security hawks.

Both candidates had vowed to revive Iran’s struggling economy, which has been hit hard by mismanagement and sanctions reimposed since 2018 after the United States’ then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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