The Unconventional President-elect of Iran

Iran’s president-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian, strolled through a serene cemetery, his eyes glancing at the weatherworn tombstones, until he came to a stop by the one bearing his wife’s name. Overwhelmed with emotion, he found solace in a moment of quiet reflection, sitting by her resting place as tears welled up in his eyes. The heartfelt scenes were captured in a campaign video dedicated to his beloved wife, Fatemeh.

In a rare display of vulnerability and love, the narrator in the video, speaking on behalf of Mr. Pezeshkian, voiced his deep longing for his late wife, saying, “I miss you more than ever. I wish you were here with me in these days when I have made this difficult pledge.”

Public declarations of love are a rarity among Iranian politicians, and shedding tears on camera for a romantic partner is virtually unheard of. However, Mr. Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiologist who clinched the election in a surprising victory as a reformist candidate, embodies a different kind of leadership.

Presenting himself as a modern leader for a new era in Iran, he is a religious man who viewed his wife as an equal partner during her lifetime, both being practitioners of medicine. Following her tragic passing in a car accident, he remained a devoted widower, raising their three children single-handedly and opting not to remarry.

“It’s very intriguing how he has intertwined his family narrative as a symbol of his dedication and trustworthiness,” remarked Ali Vaez, the Iran director of the International Crisis Group. “He pledged that just as he stood unwaveringly by his family in the absence of their mother, he would similarly stand by the Iranian people.”