Pezeshkian's Presidency: Balancing reform and resistance

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as Iran's 14th president, winning by a wide margin over conservative candidate Saeed Jalili, who was favored by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Pezeshkian hails from West Azerbaijan Province and was born in 1954 in Mahabad city. His father is Iranian-Azeri, and his mother is Iranian-Kurdish. Pezeshkian earned a bachelor's degree in general medicine and, as a young medical student, joined the revolutionaries against the Pahlavi regime. During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, he served as a combat doctor. In 2001, Pezeshkian became Iran's Minister of Health, and since 2008, he has been a Member of Parliament representing East Azerbaijan.

The victory of Iran's newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is expected to have significant implications for the country, the region, and global politics. Pezeshkian has announced his intention to build friendly relations with all parties within his country and expressed hope to establish relations with the West. However, his path will not be smooth without the support of the Iranian people, and he will face various challenges both domestically and internationally.

In Iran's presidential election, reformist Pezeshkian defeated hardline conservative Saeed Jalili. According to an official tally, Pezeshkian secured 16.3 million votes against Jalili's 13.5 million, capturing 49.8 percent of the votes in the second round. The election was originally scheduled for 2025 but was brought forward following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

Four candidates contested the election in the first phase held on June 28. Pezeshkian was the only reformist candidate among them. As per the rules, if no candidate secures more than fifty percent of the votes in the first round, a second round is held. In the second round, Masoud Pezeshkian, who ranked first in the initial round, competed against the ultra-conservative Saeed Jalili.

After being elected as Iran's ninth president, Pezeshkian extended a hand of friendship to all in a post on social media platform X. In the post, the senior lawmaker and former health minister acknowledged that the path ahead would not be smooth without the companionship, sympathy, and trust of the Iranian people. Addressing the nation, he said, "I am extending my hands to you. Don't leave me alone."

In 2015, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, which set limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of UN Security Council sanctions. When the JCPOA was signed, it seemed that Iran's isolation was coming to an end. However, in 2018, then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal and imposed tough sanctions on Iran's economy, which remain in place. With the JCPOA deadlocked, Iran has moved towards becoming a nuclear threshold state, in response to the sanctions and blaming Israel for sabotage attacks.

There are hardliners on all sides who want the treaty scrapped. What is Pezeshkian's position on sanctions and foreign relations? In response to such questions, the president-elect stated that he aims to lift the sanctions hampering Iran's economy by fostering better foreign relations and adopting internationally-required financial transparency rules. In a debate before the vote, Pezeshkian said, "If we want to make progress on economic issues and build relationships with the world for prosperity, we must address the harsh sanctions in a number of ways," including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a 2015 agreement with major powers from which the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018. The agreement has been in limbo for years after multilateral negotiations failed to revive it.

Pezeshkian also emphasized that he is not promising to lift all sanctions unilaterally. "The United States must fulfill all its promises. Then we will go back to the agreement. We must discuss this with other partner states to find a solution." The new president faces numerous challenges. Iran is grappling with various domestic and international obstacles. The country's economy is burdened with high inflation of nearly 40 percent. Authorities have promised that the situation will be short-lived, asserting that Iran is only facing temporary obstacles on its path to success. Pezeshkian also has to navigate the tensions created by the Israel-Hamas war.

Iran's advanced nuclear program must progress. In that case, Pezeshkian should avoid the risk of any conflict with the US and the West. Tehran continues to sell its crude oil to China and other countries despite US sanctions, but it remains largely isolated from the global economy. The country's nuclear program is a point of contention with the West and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Political and armed groups, including Iran and its resistance allies, have directly opposed Israel and its allies since the start of the war in Gaza.

The higher turnout compared to the first round worked in Pezeshkian's favor, giving him a significant victory. He is now the second reformist president elected in Iran in nearly two decades and is set to form a government soon. Voter turnout in this election was slightly less than 50 percent. It's important to note that 50 percent of Iranians did not go to the ballot box, believing that whether the winner is conservative or reformist, it would not change anything. Many Iranians boycotted the election as a form of silent protest.

Iran's advanced nuclear program must progress. In that case, Pezeshkian should avoid the risk of any conflict with the US and the West. Tehran continues to sell its crude oil to China and other countries despite US sanctions, but it remains largely isolated from the global economy. The country's nuclear program is a point of contention with the West and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Political and armed groups, including Iran and its resistance allies, have directly opposed Israel and its allies since the start of the war in Gaza.

The higher turnout compared to the first round worked in Pezeshkian's favor, giving him a significant victory. He is now the second reformist president elected in Iran in nearly two decades and is set to form a government soon. Voter turnout in this election was slightly less than 50 percent. It's important to note that 50 percent of Iranians did not go to the ballot box, believing that whether the winner is conservative or reformist, it would not change anything. Many Iranians boycotted the election as a form of silent protest.

Pezeshkian's victory is indeed decisive, but it is important to note that at least 13 million people voted for Jalili, showing significant support for the conservative faction. This indicates that despite the challenges, there remains a strong loyalty to the system among a substantial portion of the population.

Pezeshkian faces several challenges ahead. One criticism he faces is his lack of affiliation with any political party, which may result in him choosing ministers from the previous government of Hassan Rouhani. While domestic influences are at play, Iran's foreign policy is expected to remain consistent. The fundamental principles guiding Iran's foreign policy, including support for resistance groups fighting Israel such as Hamas and Hezbollah, are unlikely to change significantly. Strategic decisions are primarily made by the Supreme Leader and the National Security Council, not the office of the President. Therefore, the country's regional policy, support for allied groups in the region, and strategies regarding its nuclear program may remain largely unchanged even under the new president.

As the US presidential election approaches, tensions between Israel and Iran could escalate, potentially leading to more open conflict. This situation adds complexity to the already volatile Middle Eastern landscape, where geopolitical rivalries and security concerns often result in covert operations and retaliatory measures. The Netanyahu administration still hopes to draw the United States into a war with Iran, but the US appears to be avoiding direct confrontation with Tehran. Despite the historically strained relationship between the US and Iran, the US government officially mourned the death of Iranian President Raisi.

Although the president and foreign minister of Iran are not the main decision-makers in foreign policy, a power vacuum could negatively impact Tehran's regional diplomatic activities, particularly regarding Gaza, and miss a critical opportunity to engage with the Biden administration before the US election. This could also enhance Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's influence over US policy in the Middle East.
Iran's government operates under a dual system of religious leadership and democratic rule, and its relations with Western countries are highly strained due to its nuclear program and support for Tehran-backed militia groups across the Middle East. With Pezeshkian's election as the new president, questions arise about how he will address these issues. Time will reveal the direction Iran's future will take under his leadership.

Raihan Ahmed Tapadar: Researcher and columnist.