Polls opened on Friday for Iran’s runoff presidential election, the interior ministry announced, with reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian facing ultraconservative Saeed Jalili in the race to succeed Ebrahim Raisi.
Raisi’s untimely death in a helicopter crash in May necessitated the election.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds the final say in all state matters, was shown casting his ballot when the polls opened at 8:00 am (0430 GMT), according to state TV. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said, “We are starting the second round of the 14th presidential election to choose the future president from among the two candidates across 58,638 polling stations in the country and all stations abroad.”
This election takes place amid heightened regional tensions over the war in Gaza, ongoing disputes with the West regarding Iran’s nuclear program, and widespread discontent over the sanctions-hit economy.
In the first round of voting last week, Pezeshkian, the only reformist candidate allowed to run, secured around 42 percent of the votes, while former nuclear negotiator Jalili garnered 39 percent, according to the election authority. However, voter turnout was the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with only 40 percent of the 61 million eligible voters participating.
Supreme Leader Khamenei called for higher turnout in the runoff, stating, “The second round of the presidential election is very important,” and acknowledging that participation in the first round was “not as expected” but not seen as an act “against the system.”
The first round also saw conservative parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf finishing third with 13.8 percent of the vote, while cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi received less than one percent.
Originally scheduled for 2025, the presidential election was expedited following Raisi’s death. In the runoff campaign, Pezeshkian and Jalili held two debates addressing Iran’s economic challenges, international relations, voter apathy, and internet restrictions.
Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old heart surgeon and long-time parliament member representing Tabriz, has the support of Iran’s main reformist coalition, including endorsements from former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani. He has advocated for “constructive relations” with the United States and European countries to help lift Iran out of isolation.
Jalili, 58, known for his hardline stance, opposes the 2015 nuclear deal with the US and other world powers, arguing that Iran does not need the agreement to progress. He criticized the deal for allowing inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites, which he claims violated Iran’s “red lines.”
Public sentiment on the candidates has been mixed. Pezeshkian has criticized the current government, saying, “People are fed up with their living conditions … and dissatisfied with the government’s management of affairs.” Meanwhile, some voters, like 40-year-old Maryam Naroui, believe Jalili is “the best option for the country’s security.”
Regardless of the election outcome, the next president will implement policies outlined by the supreme leader, who holds ultimate authority in Iran.
