Iran to Hold Runoff Presidential Election

Iran is set to hold a runoff presidential election to replace the late hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi. The initial vote did not see any candidate securing an outright win, leading to a runoff between reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-line former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

Results and Candidates

The results of the initial election were announced during a news conference broadcasted on Iranian state television by Mohsen Eslami, an election spokesman. Pezeshkian received 10.4 million votes, while Jalili got 9.4 million. Other candidates included Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Shiite cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi.

Runoff Election Process

According to Iranian law, a candidate must secure over 50% of all votes cast to win. As this requirement was not met, the top two candidates will proceed to a runoff next week. Historically, Iran has only had one runoff election in 2005.

Turnout and Challenges

The interior ministry reported a 40% turnout for the initial election, the lowest figure since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Despite this, there were no immediate challenges to the results from any contenders.

Concerns and Criticism

There have been concerns raised about the lack of democracy in Iran, with women particularly affected by a lack of basic freedoms. Calls for a boycott of the election have been made, and critics argue that Pezeshkian represents another government-approved candidate.

Background on Ebrahim Raisi

Ebrahim Raisi, a key figure in Iranian politics, died in a May 19 helicopter crash. Raisi was seen as a protégé of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and was known for his role in the 1988 mass executions and crackdowns on dissent.