Iran has elected a new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, in a snap election held after the death of former president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. Pezeshkian defeated hardline conservative Saeed Jalili with 16.3 million votes out of 30 million cast. He ran on a moderate platform promising to reach out to the West and ease enforcement of the mandatory headscarf law due to years of sanctions and protests. His victory was celebrated by supporters across the country. Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon, has vowed to revive Iran’s struggling economy and his election is seen as mostly positive by world leaders, although the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei still holds the final say on state matters. Pezeshkian may face resistance from hardliners in the Iranian government and the election occurred amid increased regional tensions, including Iran’s first direct attack on Israel and escalated attacks by militia groups supported by Tehran. The election was decided by a run-off after a first round with a historically low turnout, and Pezeshkian was the only moderate candidate among six. Overall, his election marks a shift in Iranian politics and could potentially lead to changes in the country’s policies moving forward.
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