Iran Election 2024: Iranian Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian Wins Presidential Election

In a runoff presidential election in Iran on Saturday, reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian emerged victorious over ultraconservative Saeed Jalili, as reported by state media. The interior ministry's released results indicate that Pezeshkian secured over 17 million votes, surpassing Jalili's more than 13 million votes out of the counted 30 million so far.

Iranian presidential elections are poised to be a closely contested race between two prominent candidates: Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili. Pezeshkian stands out as the sole moderate among the initial field of four candidates, while Jalili is a hardline figure and former nuclear negotiator.

The elections hold significant importance amidst regional tensions in the Middle East and Iran's strained relations with the West, particularly concerning Tehran's nuclear program.

Over the past four years, voter turnout in Iran has markedly declined, reflecting public discontent with the Iranian system amid high inflation, economic challenges, and restrictions on political and social freedoms. Critics argue that the low turnout signals widespread dissatisfaction with the current regime in Iran.