Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian emerges victorious in the Iranian presidential run-off polls while securing 53.7% votes
TEHRAN/ISLAMABAD, July 06 (SABAH): Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian has emerged victorious in the Iranian presidential run-off polls while securing 53.7 percent votes, the interior ministry said on Saturday.
The presidential elections were held in Iran after President Dr. Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi was martyred in a helicopter crash in May.
The polls, held on Friday, saw Pezeshkian going up against Saeed Jalili in a closely contested race to become the country’s next president.
With the turnout reported to be around 50% on Friday, around 30 million Iranians cast their vote of which Pezeshkian received more than 16 million, whereas Jalili secured around 13 million votes, whereas around 600,000 ballots were declared “spoiled”.
The run-off elections were announced last month after none of the four candidates managed to secure more than 50% of the votes amid a historic low turnout of around 40% — the lowest yet in the history of the country.
In the first round of polls, Pezeshkian won the largest number of votes, around 42%, while Jalili came second with around 39%, according to figures from Iran’s elections authority.
In his first remarks since being declared winner of a run-off vote, Pezeshkian said he would “extend the hand of friendship to everyone”
“We will extend the hand of friendship to everyone; we are all people of this country, we should use everyone for the progress of the country,” the president-elect said. “Dear people of Iran, the election is over, and this is just the beginning of our working together. A difficult road is ahead. It can only be smooth with your cooperation, empathy and trust,” Pezeshkian said in a post on social media platform X. “I extend my hand to you and swear on my honour that I will not abandon you on this path. Do not abandon me.”
Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian 69 years old was born on 29th September 1954. He studies at the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, by Profession he is a Cardiac and Heart Surgeon. He is full Professor at the Medical University of Tabriz. He remained Minister of Health and Medical Education between 2001 and 2005. He served as First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from 2016 to 2020. He has represented the northern city of Tabriz in parliament since 2008 and had the endorsement of his previous boss and Iran’s last reformist president Mohammad Khatami as well as ex-president Hasan Rouhani.
During the Iran-Iraq war in 1980s, Pezeshkian, a combatant and physician, was tasked with the deployment of medical teams to the front lines. He was health minister from 2001-5 in Khatami’s second term
Pezeshkian lost his wife and one of his children in a car accident in 1994. He raised his surviving two sons and a daughter alone, opting to never remarry.
Meanwhile President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have extended their heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian on his election as the President of Iran.
President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement issued on Saturday said “Pakistan and Iran enjoy fraternal ties and I hope that under your leadership our relations will grow further stronger”.
President Asif Ali Zardari he is looking forward to work together for the peace and prosperity of the region.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian on his election as the Iranian President.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he looks forward to working closely with President elect Dr. Pezeshkian to further strengthen Pakistan-Iran bilateral ties and promote regional peace and stability.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan and Iran enjoy close and historic relationship. He said the two countries must ensure a bright future for their peoples through mutually beneficial cooperation.