Dr. Massoud Pezeshkian has been declared the winner in Iran’s runoff presidential vote held on July 5.
He secured 16,384,403 million votes (53.5%) compared to his rival, Dr. Saeed Jalili who garnered 13,538,179 million.
More than 30 million Iranians voted in the runoff election after the first round on June 28 did not produce a clear winner.
In the first round, Dr. Pezeshkian was ahead of his rivals but did not secure the requisite 50% plus one vote to be declared the winner.
Iran’s constitution stipulates a runoff vote if no clear winner emerges in the first round.
“By gaining [the] majority of the votes cast on Friday [July 5], Pezeshkian has become Iran’s next president,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement today (July 6).
Shortly after the Interior Ministry announcement, Dr. Jalili, the former nuclear negotiator, conceded defeat, saying anybody elected by the people must be respected.
“Not only should he be respected, but now we must use all our strength and help him move forward with strength,” he told PressTV.
The network provided updates as soon as the Interior Ministry started announcing the vote at around 2:30 am local time on July 6.
Polls closed at midnight after being extended several times from the official end time of 6 pm because of long lineups.
The Rahbar, Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei thanked the people for their enthusiastic participation in the election, frustrating the enemies’ calls for a boycott.
He also congratulated Dr. Pezeshkian on his victory and recommended to him to trust in Allah and use the enormous capacities of the country.
“I also recommend to the elected President Dr. Pezeshkian to look forward to long and bright horizons with trust in the beneficent God and continue the path of Martyr Raeisi to make the best use of enormous capacities of the country, especially the young, revolutionary and faithful human resources, for the comfort of the people and the progress of the country,” the Rahbar said in his message.
Iranians abroad also voted for the candidate of their choice although in countries like Canada, this was not permitted.
It showed Canada’s unremitting hostility to the Islamic Republic.
In Britain, the munafiqeen and other terrorist elements attacked Iranians lining up to cast ballot.
Several world leaders sent messages to congratulate Dr. Pezeshkian on his election, among them Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian leader vowed to strengthen ties with the Islamic Republic in all areas.
A cardiac surgeon by profession, Dr. Pezeshkian had served as the country’s health minister from 2001–2005 in the cabinet of President Muhammad Khatami.
He has also been a member of the Majlis (parliament) for many years representing the north-western city of Tabriz.
He was first elected to parliament in 2006.
In 2013 and again in 2021, he ran for the presidency but did not secure any significant vote.
In his first message after the election win, Pezeshkian thanked Iranians who came to vote “with love and to help” the country.
Iran’s presidential elections were necessitated by the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raeisi in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials also lost their lives on board the same craft with the president.