Media reports say Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as Iran's new president, beating his hardline conservative rival Saeed Jalili.
The BBC says the vote was declared in Dr. Pezeshkian's favor after he secured 53.3% of the more than 30 million votes counted, while Mr. Saeed Jalili polled at 44.3%.
Al-Jazeera reports that Pezeshkian acknowledges ‘difficult path ahead’ after winning run-off election with 53.7 percent of the vote.
According to the official count, Dr. Pezeshkian secured nearly 16.4 million of the more than 30 million votes cast, ahead of Mr. Jalili who received some 13.5 million.
Dr. Pezeshkian, a 71-year-old heart surgeon and member of the Iranian parliament, is critical of Iran’s notorious morality police and caused a stir after promising “unity and cohesion”, as well as an end to Iran's “isolation” from the world.
He has also called for “constructive negotiations” with Western powers over a renewal of the faltering 2015 nuclear deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for an easing of Western sanctions.
His rival, Saeed Jalili, favors the status quo. The former nuclear negotiator enjoys strong support amongst Iran’s most religious communities.
Speaking from the Iranian capital Tehran on Saturday, Pezeshkian said his victory will “usher in a new chapter” for the country.
“We are ahead of a big trial, a trial of hardships and challenges, simply to provide a prosperous life to our people,” he said during brief remarks at the mausoleum of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, according to Al Jazeera.
Pezeshkian reportedly also hailed the relatively high turnout in Friday’s polls, promising to listen to the voices of the Iranian people and “fulfil all the promises” he made.
Turnout in the latest round of voting was 50% – higher than the first round last week, when the turnout in the first round on June 28 was 39.93% – the lowest since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Some experts, however, consider that although Dr. Pezeshkian is seen as a reformist, he is deeply loyal to Iran's supreme leader.
Recall, the election was called after Iran’s previous president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May, in which seven others also died.
The leaders of China, India, Russia and Tajikistan have all congratulated Dr. Pezeshkian on his victory.
