The sole moderate candidate for Iran’s next president following the death of the previous president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, Masoud Pezeshkian, has won the run-off elections.
Pezeshkian victory is being hailed as a big win for moderates and reformers in Iranian politics, despite a dramatically low turnout as voters appeared to spurn the list of candidates.
Videos on social media showed scattered celebrations for Pezeshkian in the elections against hardline opponents.
While Raisi had pushed to strengthen ties with Russia and China, and led the Iranian regime’s entry into the BRICS economic alliance to counter American and Western European dominance, Pezeshkian has called for “constructive relations” with Western nations. He also supports returning to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal initiated by then-U.S. President Barack Obama.
In Israel, Foreign Minister Israel Katz took the opportunity to call for more nations to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror entity.
“The people of Iran have sent a clear message of demand for change and opposition to the Ayatollah regime through the elections,” Katz wrote on 𝕏. “Now the world must designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization and demand the cancellation of the nuclear program and the cessation of support for terrorist organizations.”
The people of Iran have sent a clear message of demand for change and opposition to the Ayatollah regime through the elections.
Now the world must designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization and demand the cancellation of the nuclear program and the cessation of support for…— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) July 6, 2024
Pezeshkian’s victory is not expected to produce any noticeable change in Iran’s stance towards Israel, as the regime has continued to threaten Israel in recent weeks.
It is unclear what impact Pezeshkian will have on Iranian policy, as all important decisions are supervised by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iranian president reportedly has no control over the IRGC, whose Aerospace Force commander, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, stated last week that he hopes for another opportunity to strike Israel.
“We are hopeful of the arrival of the opportunity for [conducting] Operation True Promise 2,” Hajizadeh said.
“Operation True Promise,” is the regime’s official name for its April attack in response to the killing of Iranian Quds Force General Reza Zahedi on April 1.
Meanwhile, leaders from several Gulf countries congratulated Pezeshkian on his win.
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman both congratulated Pezeshkian on the win.
“On the occasion of your victory in the presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran, we are pleased to send you our sincere congratulations and best wishes for success, looking forward to continuing to develop relations between our two brotherly countries and peoples, and continuing coordination and consultation in order to enhance regional and international peace and security,” the two leaders said in a joint statement.
Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa released a statement of congratulations, saying he hopes to establish improved relations to benefit both countries.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan posted on 𝕏: “I wish him success in his role and look forward to working together to further strengthen ties between the UAE and Iran for the benefit of our two nations and peoples.”
