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Reformer Massoud Pezeshkian elected Iran's president [Post Updated #132]

Hitman said:
How can Israel be involved if it happened in Iranian airspace?
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Sabotage?, wouldnt really put anything past them. They will stoop to ANY level imaginable to justify their ‘cause’
Of course it will either be ‘Neither confirmed nor denied’ or ‘ we are not involved, to our knowledge’
 
Conspiracy theories must have started that Israel is behind it.
 
KingKhanWC said:
As long as Iran doesn’t use India as an example of a progressive democracy which is run by extremists , it will be ok .
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Bro imo Iran is in big danger being right next to Pakistan. Iran should not be influenced by Pakistan in anyway shape or form, it will be like going from being terrible to being doomed for good.
 

Who is Mohammad Mokhber, Iran’s interim president?​

Mohammad Mokhber is Iran’s interim president now after late President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials were confirmed killed in a helicopter crash and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved his accession to the role.

The former first vice president held an extraordinary meeting with judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker, on Monday morning.

As per the constitution, the three must set things in motion for a new presidential election to be held within 50 days.

Mokhber will remain interim president until then. “We will follow the path of Raisi in doing the duties entrusted without any disruptions,” he was quoted as saying by state media.

First vice president
Mokhber was appointed first vice president by Raisi in August 2021, shortly after Raisi took office.

He is the seventh person to serve in that role since the revision of the constitution in 1989 – and one of the most influential.

As first vice president, Mokhber travelled across the country to inaugurate a variety of government development projects and accompanied Raisi or led delegations himself on many foreign trips. He is reported to have visited Russia, along with senior military and security officials, to discuss arms transfers.

Mokhber was on a list of individuals and entities sanctioned by the European Union in 2010 for alleged involvement in activities concerning Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Two years later, the bloc removed him from the list.

Unlike other countries, Iran’s first vice presidency is an appointed – not elected – position that assumed some of the powers of the prime minister after the position was abolished in 1989.

There are several appointed vice presidents serving concurrently in Iran, each taking on different aspects of executive affairs but operating mostly like a cabinet.

Mokhber’s position was the top among vice presidents.

He was selected because he had a strong connection with the office of the supreme leader, like the late president himself, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

He was also seen as a man of action with longstanding experience in managing large-scale executive affairs.

Setad
Before his appointment to the vice presidency, Mokhber served for 14 years as head of Iran’s Setad, or the Organisation for the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order.

Setad is a highly powerful economic conglomerate established under Iran’s first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to focus on charitable affairs.

It is now believed to be worth tens of billions of dollars and remains under the direct control of the Iranian supreme leader.

Setad and Mokhber were sanctioned by the United States in 2021, with the US Treasury claiming the organisation was involved in rights violations among other things, including violating “the rights of dissidents by confiscating land and property from opponents of the regime”.

Mokhber was the head of Setad during the onset of COVID-19, at a time when Iran was hit by far the worst by the pandemic in the Middle East. Nearly 150,000 people died of COVID, according to official numbers – with actual numbers believed to be much higher.

Under his watch, Setad developed COVIran Barekat, the main coronavirus vaccine manufactured by the state.

Early life
Born in Dezful in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, the 68-year-old was educated in electrical engineering and also holds a PhD in international law.

He was active in banking and communications earlier in his career, having operated as the head of the Khuzestan Telecommunications Authority and then being promoted to deputy governor of the province in the 1990s.

Before moving up to the Setad, Mokhber was a deputy at another bonyad, the powerful Mostazafan Foundation which was also founded by Supreme Leader Khomeini as a charitable foundation.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
 
US says it was 'unable' to provide Iran assistance after helicopter crash

The United States on Monday said it had been unable, due largely to logistical reasons, to accept an Iranian request for assistance following a helicopter crash over the weekend that killed President Ebrahim Raisi, as Washington offered its condolences.

The rare request from Iran, which views the United States and Israel as its main adversaries, was disclosed by the State Department at a news briefing.

"We were asked for assistance by the Iranian government. We did make clear to them that we would offer assistance, as we would do in response to any request by a foreign government in this sort of situation," spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

"Ultimately, largely for logistical reasons, we were unable to provide that assistance," Miller said, without elaborating.

The charred wreckage of the helicopter which crashed on Sunday carrying Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and six other passengers and crew, was found early on Monday after an overnight search in blizzard conditions.

Iran has still not provided any official word on the cause of the crash of the U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter in mountains near the Azerbaijan border.

Asked whether he was concerned that Tehran might blame Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "The United States had no part to play in that crash."

"I can't speculate on what may have been the cause," he added.

The crash comes at a time of growing dissent within Iran over an array of political, social and economic crises. Iran's clerical rulers face international pressure over Tehran's disputed nuclear program and its deepening military ties with Russia during the war in Ukraine.

Still, Austin played down any U.S. concerns that the crash might have immediate security implications in the Middle East.

"I don't necessarily see any broader, regional security impact at this point," he said.

Under the Islamic Republic's constitution, a new presidential election must be held within 50 days.

Suzanne Maloney, an Iran scholar at the Brookings Institution think tank, said Khamenei and Iran's security services would seek to avoid any perception of vulnerability during the transition period.

"As a result, I'd expect a skittish, reactive Iran that may be more risk-averse in the near term but paradoxically more dangerous if it perceives itself on the defensive," Maloney said.

REUTERS
 
Champ_Pal said:
The regime seems to be quite unpopular even among Iranians in Iran.

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In most countries of the world you will get sick individuals who celebrate the deaths of political leaders. It's very difficult to measure popularity based on the reactions of a few people.

The Iranians will no doubt show the huge gatherings that will inevitably take place for his funeral as a sign of his popularity.

Will you accept the pictures/videos of huge crowds ( when they happen) as a sign of his popularity and a sign of the popularity of the regime?
 
Reading reports about this person, you realise he was a terrible human being. He was dubbed 'The Butcher of Tehran' for his role in the mass executions of political prisoners in the 1980s.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
Will you accept the pictures/videos of huge crowds ( when they happen) as a sign of his popularity and a sign of the popularity of the regime?
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You were right and MSM and the sheep were wrong. Thousands have shown up for his funeral.
 
A lot of Iranians stay nearby me and the ones I talked with are all kinda celebrating about it.

He doesn’t seem to be much loved by expat Iranians atleast.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Lol see the streets already packed . His funeral will be massive . There are a small fringe of shahs followers , almost all live abroad .
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You live in the UK I believe, one of the free-est countries on the planet and yet you support the rulers of a brutal islamist theocratic dictatorship like Iran. Why ?
 
Never heard raisi’s name before his accident.. some Iranians celebrated his death…. I went thru some articles of raisi, here what I found

Raisi was called “butcher of Tehran”

In 2019, US banned him as he punished 4500 child prisoners by cutting their hands and legs
 
Crowds gather ahead of Iranian president's funeral

Large crowds have started to gather in the Iranian capital Tehran for the main funeral ceremony of the country's late President Ebrahim Raisi.

Mr Raisi died alongside Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others in a helicopter crash on Sunday near the border with Azerbaijan.

The ceremony will begin with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leading prayers in the capital, before coffins draped in the Iranian flag will be taken into the city's main Azadi square.

Authorities have warned against demonstrations against the funeral procession and insults posted online.

Across the capital, large banners have been raised hailing Mr Raisi as "the martyr of service", while others bade "farewell to the servant of the disadvantaged".

Some residents in Tehran received texts urging them to attend Wednesday's ceremonies, the AFP news agency reported.

Footage carried by state TV showed streets filled with mourners, many of whom were carrying pictures of Mr Raisi or the Iranian flag.

A handful of foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the proceedings.

Funeral rites for the men began on Tuesday in the city of Tabriz and the Shiite clerical centre of Qom, where thousands of black-clad mourners attended ceremonies.

After Wednesday's procession in the capital, Mr Raisi's remains will be moved to South Khorasan province, before being transferred to his home city of Mashhad in the northeast.

He will be buried on Thursday evening in the city after funeral rites at the Imam Reza shrine.

Five days have of national mourning have been declared in the country.

Mr Raisi was a highly divisive figure in Iran. In the 1980s, he oversaw the executions of scores of opposition activists while working as a prosecutor.

And he unleashed a brutal crackdown against demonstrators angered by the killing of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old died three days after she was detained by morality police in the capital for allegedly violating Iran's strict rules requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf.

But his ultra-conservative outlook won favour with supporters of the regime, and Mr Raisi was viewed as a possible successor to Ayatollah Khamenei.

BBC
 
I would be careful of taking any planes if I were a Iranian ruling personal. Especially the supreme leader.

These are times of war and change. Sabotage can come from outside and inside. :rahi
 
HalBass9 said:
Iranian expats hate everything that is Iranian except Iranian cuisine.
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They love Persian language .. but yes over the years two Iranian demographics have been created one outside of Iran and one inside. The gap will keep increasing.
 
Thousands of Iranians took to the streets on Thursday to bid farewell to their late president Ebrahim Raisi and attend his funeral rites who was confirmed dead on Monday

Thousands of people, holding placards of Raisi and waving flags, marched in the eastern city of Birjand on Thursday morning to bid the president farewell — a day after Supreme LeaderAyatollah Ali Khamenei led his funeral prayers in Tehran.

The late president will be buried at the holy shrine of Imam Reza, a renowned mausoleum in the northeastern city of Mashhad today, reported Reuters.

President Raisi, 63, was travelling with his Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other high officials when their helicopter crashed in the country's mountainous northwest while returning from a dam inauguration.

Those accompanying the Iranian president included Supreme Leader Khamenei's representative Ali Ale-Hashem, East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati, two bodyguards, two pilots and one crew member.

Thousands of Iranians take to streets to bid farewell to Ebrahim Raisi.

Source: Geo News
 
Heads of Iran-allied groups meet in Tehran

Leaders of the Iran-led, “axis of resistance”, including Hamas’s Ismail Haniyeh, discussed the war in Gaza during a meeting in Tehran on the sidelines of president Ebrahim Raisi’s funeral, state media reported Thursday.

The “axis of resistance” brings together Iran’s regional allies in the fight against Israel, including the Palestinian movement Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis and Iraqi Shiite groups.

The leaders of these movements met Wednesday after attending ceremonies organised in Tehran to pay tribute to Raisi, who died Sunday in a helicopter crash in northwest Iran.

The meeting was attended by Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s Qatar-based political bureau, as well as Hezbollah deputy Naim Qassem and Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam.

Haniyeh had also previously had an audience with Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian officials meanwhile included General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force, the foreign operations branch of the guards.


Business Recorder
 

Iran's military says Raisi's helicopter caught fire soon after crash​


The helicopter carrying Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi caught fire soon after it crashed into a mountain and there was no sign it was attacked, state media reported, citing the military's crash investigators.

The statement from the general staff of the armed forces in charge of investigating the crash was read on state television late Thursday. The first statement on the crash did not lay blame but said more details would come after further investigation.

The crash Sunday killed Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and six other people.

The general staff’s statement said the communications between the control tower and the crew of the helicopter before the crash contained nothing suspicious. It said the last communication of the crashed helicopter was between it and two helicopters accompanying it some 90 seconds before the crash.

There was no sign of anything shot at the helicopter and its flight path did not change, the statement said.

The aging Bell helicopter went down in a foggy, remote mountainous region of Iran’s northwest on Sunday. The crash site was discovered Monday morning with all eight on board dead.

Raisi was buried in a tomb at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on Thursday.

abcnews.go.com

Iran's military says Raisi's helicopter caught fire soon after crash

Iran's military says the helicopter carrying late President Ebrahim Raisi caught fire soon after it crashed into a mountain and there was no sign it was attacked
abcnews.go.com abcnews.go.com
 
After Raisi funeral, Iran’s focus turns to vote for successor

After Iran mourned president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a recent helicopter crash, the nation’s focus turns to an election next month for his successor, with the conservative camp seeking a loyalist to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The lead-up to the early vote on June 28 has opened up the field to a broad range of hopefuls from all political parties. The big question for them is how many candidacies will survive the vetting process in the Islamic republic.

Ultraconservative Raisi, who had more than a year left of his first term, died on May 19 alongside his foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others when their helicopter crashed into a fog-shrouded mountainside.

They were laid to rest in multi-day funeral rites drawing mass crowds of mourners.

The June vote will be held during a turbulent time, as the Gaza conflict rages between Iran’s arch-foe Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, and amid continued diplomatic tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran also faces sustained economic hardship, exacerbated by tough international sanctions reimposed after the United States withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal, and in the aftermath of widespread anti-government protests.

Khamenei, who has the final say in all matters of state, has assigned Raisi’s vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, 68, to assume interim duties for the next few weeks and organise the June election.

Source: Dawn News
 

Iran’s Khamenei seeks trusted hardliner to replace Raisi in June vote​

Iran fires the starting gun this week on an election to replace President Ebrahim Raisi, whose death in a helicopter crash could complicate efforts by the authorities to manage a task of even greater consequence — the succession to the supreme leader.

Once seen as a possible successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s ageing ultimate decision-maker, Raisi’s sudden death has triggered a race among hardliners to influence the selection of Iran’s next leader.

Khamenei, 85, seeks a fiercely loyal president in the June 28 election to run the country day-to-day and be a trusted ally who can ensure stability, amid manoeuvring over the eventual succession to his position, insiders and analysts say.

“The next president is likely to be a hardliner unwaveringly loyal to Khamenei with a background in the Revolutionary Guards. Someone with an unblemished background and devoid of political rivalries,” said Tehran-based analyst Saeed Leylaz.

Registration for candidates opens on Thursday, although that is only the beginning of a process that will see hopefuls vetted by the Guardian Council, a hardline watchdog body that disqualifies candidates without always publicising the reason.

Three insiders familiar with the thinking at the top level of the Iranian establishment said there had been discussions among the leadership about the merits of various ways of handling the presidential contest.

“The prevailing outcome was that the primary [goal] should be securing the election of a president who is intensely loyal to the supreme leader and his ideals. A low voter turnout will inevitably secure it,” said one of the sources, who like the others declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the topic.

That goal — victory for a hardline president able to shape a smooth transition at the pinnacle of power when Khamenei eventually dies — nevertheless presents a conundrum for the ruling clerics managing the vote next month.

To ensure the winner is a diehard Khamenei loyalist, it is likely the upcoming election will be dominated by hardliners with outlooks similar to his, the insiders and analysts say.

Limited choice for voters
But restricting the choice on the ballot is likely to dampen voters’ interest and keep turnout low, dealing an unwelcome blow to the prestige of the 45-year-old Islamic Republic.

The quandary is a familiar one in Iran. In a race where those who run are carefully reviewed, typically the challenge for the clerical establishment is securing a high turnout.

The Guardian Council will publish the list of qualified candidates on June 11.

Raisi clinched victory in 2021 on a turnout of about 49 per cent — a significant drop from the 70pc seen in 2017 and 76pc in 2013 — largely amid widespread voter apathy after the Guardian Council eliminated heavy-weight conservative and moderate rivals.

Critics say the turnout also reflected discontent over economic hardship and social and political restrictions which drove months of protests ignited by the death of a young woman arrested by the morality police in 2022.

Source: Dawn News
 
US-sanctioned former Revolutionary Guards commander Vahid Haghanian was among candidates who registered on Saturday to run for election as Iran's president after Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash, state media reported

Haghanian, a close aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told reporters after registering that his qualifications were based on "experience from serving 45 years in the presidency and the leader's office".

The US Treasury designated Haghanian in 2019 among nine individuals in Khamenei's inner circle responsible for "advancing ... domestic and foreign oppression".

Iran says most US sanctions are prompted by baseless accusations.

Former parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, a prominent conservative, was among the candidates who registered on Friday, as was Abdolnaser Hemmati, a former central bank governor.

An election official told reporters on Saturday that 17 hopefuls had signed up since registration for the June 28 election opened on Thursday.

The Guardian Council, a cleric-led body that vets candidates, will publish the list of qualified candidates on June 11.

In the latest challenge to a ban on women running for president, conservative former lawmaker Zohreh Elahian registered on Saturday, telling reporters her motto would be "A healthy government, a healthy economy and a healthy society".

The Guardian Council has ruled in earlier elections that Iran's Islamic laws prevent a woman becoming president.

The death of Raisi - once seen as a possible successor to 85-year-old Khamenei, with whom power ultimately rests - has triggered a race among hardliners to influence the selection of Khamenei's successor.

Moderate politicians have accused the 12-member Guardian Council of disqualifying candidates other than hardliners, who are expected to dominate the race.

However, a lack of choice on the ballot, combined with rising discontent over an array of political, social and economic crises, could reduce turnout and thus the legitimacy of Iran's theocratic system of government.

Within Iran's complex mix of clerical rulers and elected officials, Khamenei has the final say on all state matters such as nuclear and foreign policies. But the elected president will be in charge of tackling worsening economic hardship.

Saeed Jalili, a former chief nuclear negotiator who two decades ago ran Khamenei's office for four years, was the first heavyweight hardliner to register for the election on Thursday.

Interim President Mohammad Mokhber has also been mentioned in Iranian media as a possible candidate.

Several lower-key moderates are also likely to enter the race.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, another former Revolutionary Guards commander who had been touted as a potential candidate, was re-elected on Tuesday as speaker of parliament, making it less likely that he might stand.

Source: The Express Tribune
 

Iran's ex-President Ahmadinejad to run again: state TV​


Iran's hardline former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has registered to run for president in the country's June 28 election, organised after the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month, Iran's state television reported on Sunday.

However he could be barred from the race: the country's cleric-led Guardian Council will vet candidates, and publish the list of qualified ones on June 11.

Ahmadinejad, a former member of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, was first elected as Iran's president in 2005 and stepped down because of term limits in 2013.

He was barred from standing in the 2017 election by the Guardian Council, a year after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned him that entering was "not in his interest and that of the country".

A rift developed between the two after Ahmadinejad explicitly advocated checks on Khamenei's ultimate authority.

In 2018, in rare criticism directed at Khamenei, Ahmadinejad wrote to him calling for "free" elections.

Khamenei had backed Ahmadinejad after his 2009 re-election triggered protests in which dozens of people were killed and hundreds arrested, rattling the ruling theocracy, before security forces led by the elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) stamped out the unrest.

tribune.com.pk

Iran's ex-President Ahmadinejad to run again: state TV | The Express Tribune

Ahmadinejad, former Revolutionary Guards member and Iran's president from 2005-2013, was barred from 2017 election
tribune.com.pk tribune.com.pk
 

Iran approves six candidates to run for president​


Iran's Guardian Council, which oversees elections and legislation, has approved six candidates to run for president in snap elections to be held later this month after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, Iran's State TV reported on Sunday.

On the list are Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Iran's hardline parliament speaker and former Revolutionary Guards commander, Saeed Jalili, a conservative, who was former chief nuclear negotiator and ran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office for four years and Tehran's conservative mayor Alireza Zakani, according to State TV.

The list, announced on state TV by the Election Office spokesperson, also includes Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist lawmaker, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a hardliner and a former interior minister, and Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi a conservative politician.

"With the announcement of the final list of candidates, their electoral activities start officially," state TV said.

The election is due to take place on June 28.

The Council disqualified hardline former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, a prominent conservative, state media said.

 
Wild card candidate stirs up Iran presidential election

A snap election called after a deadly helicopter crash. A candidate promising a different approach both at home and abroad. And suddenly there’s an element of suspense and unpredictability in Iran, as voters go to the polls to choose a new president.

Elections in the Islamic Republic are tightly-controlled affairs - the candidates are all vetted by an influential committee of clerics before they can stand. And recently voter apathy has been widespread.

But this time there is a wild card: a reformist former heart surgeon and health minister, Massoud Pezeshkian, who has declared “immoral” the actions of Iran’s morality police, who enforce strict dress codes on women.

The rules on wearing the hijab are now being regularly flouted by women and Mr Pezeshkian, 69, has said: “If wearing certain clothes is a sin, the behaviour towards women and girls is 100 times a greater sin. Nowhere in religion is there any permission to confront someone because of their clothing.”

He has also promised to try to improve relations with the West and revive nuclear talks, in the hope of bringing an end to sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.

Mr Pezeshkian has been publicly backed by two former reformist presidents, Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Khatami, and the former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

His campaign rallies attracted growing crowds in the run-up to polling day.

And on Thursday two candidates dropped out of the contest - in an apparent attempt by the clerical establishment to avoid splitting the conservative vote.

The most recent opinion polls showed Mr Pezeshkian ahead of Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a former commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards who is currently speaker of parliament, and Saeed Jalili, a hardline former nuclear negotiator.

The conservatives oppose engagement with the West and argue that Iran can succeed despite sanctions.

One other candidate remains in the race to replace Ebrahim Raisi - the hardliner who died on a foggy mountainside last month in a helicopter crash that also killed seven other people.

Turnout figures are seen as a key test of the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic.

They hit record lows in parliamentary elections in March and the last presidential election in 2021.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - who is the ultimate authority in Iran - has called for “maximum” turnout. And a solid core of regime supporters are sure to vote.

But many young and middle-class Iranians are deeply disillusioned and distrustful of any political process organised by the Islamic Republic, and now want an end to 45 years of clerical rule.

“There are lots of billboards in the streets asking people to ‘vote for a better tomorrow’, but we just don’t buy it any more,” a 20-year-old student in Tehran told me via text message. “Nobody wants to vote any more.”

Since the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in morality police custody in 2022 - and the nationwide uprising it sparked - the gulf between Iran’s leaders and its people has widened dramatically.

A brutal crackdown on protesters hardened hatred of the regime, particularly among Generation Z.

Hopes pinned on reformists in the past have repeatedly been dashed. And, over the past few years, those wanting reform of the system have been increasingly marginalised.

Former president Hassan Rouhani wasn’t even allowed to stand in recent elections for an influential body, the Assembly of Experts, whose job it is to appoint the Supreme Leader.

Many Iranians have lost hope of any meaningful change being delivered through the ballot box.

“I won’t vote this year,” a 70-year old woman in Tehran, who has previously voted for reformist candidates, told the BBC. “I know nothing will change. The economy is in such a dire state and a generation of young people now just want to leave Iran.”

Azad (not her real name), a women’s rights activist jailed during the protests, described it as an “electoral circus”.

“When the puppeteer is a single person named Khamenei, it makes no difference what name comes out of the ballot box,” she told me over a social media app. “At the peak of the unrest, people repeatedly chanted this slogan in the streets: ‘Reformist, conservative, the game is over’.”

Some believe that the clerical establishment only allowed Mr Pezeshkian to stand as part of an effort to boost turnout.

Azad described it as a “game” being played by the regime. “We don’t trust them and we don’t want to be manipulated again.”

Several people in Tehran I have spoken to over the past few days have echoed that view.

“It’s a duty to vote but I won’t,” a law student told the BBC. “Because all previous elections showed none of the elected presidents made anything better for people.”

But others may be enticed to the polling station by the small glimmer of hope for change that Mr Pezeshkian represents for liberal-minded Iranians.

“I’ll be voting for Pezeshkian,” Maryam, 54, from Tehran says. “I believe that change can only come from inside Iran - through reform.”

She likes the fact that his background is not in the security forces and that he’s “clean”, with no allegations of corruption against him.

She also hopes he can improve Iran’s relations with the outside world, and believes he will win.

If he does, there is a huge question mark over what room for manoeuvre he will have.

“Pezeshkian is a reformist in name only,” says Sanam Vakil of think-tank Chatham House.

“He supports the Islamic Republic and is deeply loyal to the supreme leader. His participation could potentially boost public turnout and increase enthusiasm, but one should not expect much more than a difference in tone should he be elected.”

BBC
 
Hardliner takes narrow lead in Iranian election

Hardline candidate Saeed Jalili has taken a narrow lead in Iran's presidential election, according to early results announced by the government.

The former nuclear negotiator was leading with nearly 42% of the vote after more than 8 million ballots had been counted.

Current predictions are that the election will go to a second round, which is set for next Friday.

Two security force members were killed after unidentified gunmen attacked a vehicle carrying election boxes in Sistan-Baluchestan province, according to state media reports.

The result of the election so far is surprising. Reformist candidate Massoud Pezeshkian, who had been ahead in earlier results, is now trailing at just over 40%.

Mr Pezeshkian, a former heart surgeon and health minister, has promised a different approach, saying the actions of the morality police, who enforce strict dress codes on women, are "immoral".

The run-off vote will happen if no candidate wins more than 50% of all ballots cast in this first round.

The vote is to replace former president Ebrahim Raisi, who died on 19 May when the helicopter he was in crashed into a mountain, with seven other people also killed.

Though there are 61.5 million eligible voters in Iran, turnout is expected to be low for this election. It hit record lows in parliamentary elections in March and the last presidential election in 2021.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is the ultimate authority in the country, has called for “maximum” turnout.

Iran was shaken by a huge wave of protests in 2022 following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained by the morality police for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code.

Human rights groups say hundreds were killed in the crackdown and thousands detained.

BBC
 

Is Masoud Pezeshkian Truly a Moderate in Iran's Political Arena?​


Members of Iran's Reform Front attempt to portray Masoud Pezeshkian as a moderate presidential candidate compared to his rival Saeed Jalili. But does he genuinely embody moderation as a regime insider?

Hardliners such as Jalili more openly prioritize Islamic Republic values above all else, while Pezeshkian's supporters are trying to morph him into the already existent duality of reformists vs fundamentalists in the system.

This may be an effort to fabricate a sense of competition and address historically low voter turnout, in successive elections since 2020.

However, so far it has failed, as Friday's first round of the presidential election saw a turnout of under 40%, the lowest since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979.

However, their efforts persist ahead of the upcoming runoff on Friday: to instill fear of the competitor, Saeed Jalili, portraying him as the very monster people dread, thereby rallying voters to flock to the polling stations supporting Pezeshkian.

On Saturday, Pezeshkian emphasized, "We must secure ourselves and avert disaster. Let us awaken to the realization that what could transpire is no laughing matter; untrustworthy, inexperienced, and potentially dangerous individuals could transform Iran into a colossal laboratory of bizarre ideas."

Following protests in Iran since 2017, which significantly intensified in 2022 with the "Woman Life Freedom" movement, the popular mood has become clear. Many feel the current establishment falls short of meeting their needs, prompting calls for a new political system.

Against this backdrop, three key political arenas loom large: human rights, particularly women's freedom; the unchecked power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); and the economy, deeply entwined with tensions involving the West and Israel.

'Reformists' are endeavoring to portray Pezeshkian as a champion of women's rights, critical of the system's oppression of women, and advocating the lifting of sanctions and fostering better international relations, including a shift in foreign policy. Ultimately, they aim to depict him as a politician opposed to the IRGC rather than a supporter.

A retrospective examination of Pezeshkian’s parliamentary career, which started in 2008 and continues to this day, starkly contrasts with the reformist faction's portrayal, particularly regarding his positions in these critical arenas.

Let's juxtapose the image projected by the reformists who endorse Pezeshkian by examining his historical record and political stance on the ground.

Stance on women's rights:

In May 2010, Pezeshkian was among those lawmakers who supported a bill in Parliament promoting the Islamic principle of publicly shaming women who defy the mandatory hijab. Vigilantes sometimes use this principle to confront others, occasionally resorting to violence in the name of religious duty.

During the 2022 Women's Life Freedom event, Pezeshkian remarked, "This situation only benefits the hypocrites and enemies of the Iranian people, who seek to sow turmoil and unrest and widen the gap between the people and the government."

He also denounced the protests as orchestrated acts of aggression, attributing Iran's most significant uprising since the inception of the Islamic Republic to the influence of the US and Europe.

At the same time, security forces' crackdown on protesters, which led to the deaths of at least 550 protesters, was denounced as a crime against humanity by a UN fact-finding mission.

The bill allowed citizens to be sentenced to financial fines, imprisonment, and exile, which underpins the current violent clashes involving women on the streets of the Islamic Republic.

Despite benefiting from the reformists' current support, Pezeshkian echoes their narrative only partially and consistently references Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's principles as the basis of his plans. Former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is the leading proponent advancing this constructed reformist narrative. Zarif, who once claimed to have 'zero' power during his tenure, now claims that the presidential administration can have a major role in shaping people's lives.

On Saturday, during a presidential campaign event endorsing Pezeshkian, Zarif remarked, “They [the conservatives] are the architects behind all the oppressive laws, internet restrictions, the Nour Plan, etc."

The Nour Plan is an initiative introduced in Iran in April, focusing on enforcing strict hijab regulations for women; it came into effect following a directive by Supreme Leader Khamenei. This policy has resulted in the violent arrest of hundreds of women across various cities in Iran and has been referred to as "gender apartheid" by the United Nations.

Stance on IRGC:

In 2019, when then-US President Donald Trump designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, Pezeshkian and his parliamentary peers pushed Iran to escalate tensions with the US. They introduced legislation that became law under the title "Strengthening the position of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against the United States."

This, in turn, consolidated more power for the IRGC in political and economic spheres, tightening its grip on the Iranian government and other institutions within the Islamic Republic. This also intensified repression, escalated violence against citizens, and heightened insecurity and conflicts with neighboring countries.

Pezeshkian also wore the Revolutionary Guard uniform alongside fellow parliamentarians in solidarity with the IRGC one day after Trump's decision.

During a university lecture in December 2022, he responded to a student criticizing his choice to wear the IRGC uniform, stating, "Without the IRGC, this country would have been divided, and our work would have ended."

Also, even during the current presidential election debates, he openly expressed unconditional and uncritical support for the IRGC, describing their missiles and drones as "a source of pride."

This sharply contrasts with how reformists, led by Zarif, try to portray themselves as opponents of the IRGC.

Zarif had accused IRGC Quds Force commander Soleimani of meddling in diplomatic efforts, including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015. He also labeled two prominent IRGC figures as "corrupt and liars."

In an audio file released by Iran Wire on the 2024 parliamentary election, Zarif discussed the ongoing rivalry between reformists and IRGC-affiliated individuals, specifically mentioning figures like Hossein Taeb, former head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and Mohammad Ali Jafari, former IRGC commander-in-chief.

Stance on foreign policy:

The third area underpinning many of Iran's current economic and international crises is the ongoing tensions between the Islamic Republic and the West and particularly their ally Israel.

In December 2008, during his tenure in parliament, Pezeshkian and 39 other members proposed a bill, turned into law, titled "Obliging the government to provide all-round support to Palestine," which called for significant Iranian intervention in Gaza.

This plan demanded the Iranian government reassess its political and economic relations with countries supporting Israel, effectively promoting confrontation with a large group of powerful nations. It also sought to prevent Israeli goods from entering Iran and prohibited contracts with companies whose principal shareholders were Israeli entities.

Implementing this plan intensified Iran's political confrontation with Western countries, leading to significant economic costs due to disrupted trade.

Now, as they campaign for the presidency, Pezeshkian and his team steer clear of this anti-Western history. They promote de-escalation and global peace to attract support from many Iranians who despise the government's confrontational foreign policy. In recent economic and political debates, Pezeshkian has repeatedly emphasized the necessity of having good relations with other countries, stating that "we must have relations with the world" and advocating for stronger ties with all nations except Israel.

www.iranintl.com

Is Masoud Pezeshkian Truly a Moderate in Iran's Political Arena?

Members of Iran's Reform Front attempt to portray Masoud Pezeshkian as a moderate presidential candidate compared to his rival Saeed Jalili. But does he genuinely embody moderation as a regime insider?
www.iranintl.com
 

Iran candidates hold final rallies before presidential runoff​


In a bustling Tehran prayer hall, ultraconservative Saeed Jalili has rallied fervent supporters ahead of Friday’s runoff presidential vote, while his reformist rival Masoud Pezeshkian stirred up a crowd in a nearby stadium.

The two candidates held their final campaign rallies late Wednesday, after leading the first-round vote in snap elections to succeed president Ebrahim Raisi who died in a May helicopter crash.

Chants of “All Iran says Jalili” echoed as thousands of supporters of the hardline former nuclear negotiator gathered at the Grand Mosalla mosque in central Tehran, buzzing with excitement.

Jalili promised “strength and progress” if elected, as posters of the late ultraconservative Raisi adorned the walls, bearing the slogan: “A world of opportunities, Iran leaps forward.”

At an open-air stadium elsewhere in the capital, Pezeshkian made the case for “unity and cohesion”, his supporters’ chants invoking another former president -- the reformist Mohammad Khatami who has endorsed their candidate.

“Long live Khatami, long live Pezeshkian!” called the spirited crowd, waving green flags adorned with the reformist candidate’s “For Iran” slogan.

At the prayer hall, women draped in black chadors sat in a designated section, separated from the men. But all burst into rapturous applause as Jalili made his entrance.

“We are at a historical moment,” he told the cheering crowd, urging voters to head to the polls on Friday.

Only 40 percent of Iran’s 61 millions eligible voters turned up at the polls last week -- representing the lowest turnout in any presidential election since the 1979 Revolution.

To 40-year-old Maryam Naroui, Jalili is “the best option for the country’s security”.

A 39-year-old housewife who declined to give her name said he “is honest and will follow Raisi’s path.”

Jalili, known for his uncompromising anti-West stance, has staunchly opposed moves to restore a landmark 2015 deal with world powers which imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear activity in return for sanctions relief.

He has argued that the deal, which collapsed in 2018 when the United States withdrew from it, had violated all of Iran’s “red lines” by allowing inspections of nuclear sites.

As he spoke, some supporters interjected with chants denouncing former president Hassan Rouhani, whose government had negotiated the accord.

If elected, Jalili told the rally, “we will improve the strength and progress of the country”.

Pezeshkian, who has called for “constructive relations” with Western governments to end Iran’s “isolation”, has won endorsements from the moderate Rouhani and from reformist figures including ex-president Khatami.

“We can manage our country with unity and cohesion,” Pezeshkian told his cheering supporters.

“I will resolve internal disputes to the best of my ability,” he said.

Pezeshkian, who has vowed to “fully” oppose police patrols enforcing the mandatory headscarf and called to ease long-standing internet restrictions, was speaking before a crowd women in colorful hijabs, mingled with others, draped in traditional black chadors, alongside men.

The hijab issue has become particularly contentious following mass protests following the 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, detained for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress code for women.

Since the months-long nationwide unrest, women have increasingly flouted the code. But police in recent months have also toughened controls.

Sadegh Azari, a 45-year-old working in insurance, said: “I believe if Pezeshkian wins... the people will have hope for the future.”

 
Hardliner faces reformist in Iran presidential run-off

Voters will elect a new Iranian president on Friday as a hardline conservative goes head-to-head with a reformist.

The run-off takes place after no candidate secured a majority in the first round of the election on 28 June, which saw a historically low voter turnout of 40%.

One of them Dr Massoud Pezeshkian, a former heart surgeon, is critical of Iran’s notorious morality police - but his rival Saeed Jalili favours the status quo.

The election was called after Iran’s previous president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May, in which seven others died.

Dr Pezeshkian has caused a stir after promising “unity and cohesion” and an end to Iran's “isolation” from the world.

He has 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.

Mr Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator who enjoys strong support amongst Iran’s most religious communities, is known for his hardline anti-Western stance and opposition to restoring the nuclear deal, which he says crossed Iran’s “red lines".

In order to stand, both candidates had to make it through a vetting process run by the Guardian Council, a body made up of 12 clerics and jurists that hold significant power in Iran.

That process saw 74 other candidates removed from the race, including several women.

The Guardian Council has previously been criticised by human rights groups for disqualifying candidates who are not loyal enough to the regime.

After years of civil unrest - culminating in anti-regime protests that shook the country in 2022-23 - many young and middle-class Iranians deeply mistrust the establishment and have previously refused to vote.

With turnout in the first round at its lowest since the 1979 Iranian revolution, voter apathy could be a deciding factor in the run-off.

On Iranian social media, the Persian hashtag "traitorous minority" has gone viral, urging people not to vote for either of the candidates and calling anyone who does so a "traitor".

But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected suggestions that the low turnout represents a rejection of his rule.

"There are reasons [behind the low turnout] and politicians and sociologists will examine them, but if anyone thinks that those who did not vote are against the establishment, they are plainly wrong," he said.

In a rare move, he acknowledged that some Iranians do not accept the current regime. "We listen to them and we know what they are saying and it is not like they are hidden and not seen," Mr Khamenei said.

Within Iran, local media has encouraged people to cast ballots.

Reformist daily newspaper Sazandegi said "the future is tied to your votes" while the Hammihan newspaper said "now it's your turn".

Tehran municipality-run daily newspaper Hamshahri published a piece entitled "100 reasons for voting", while the state broadcaster-run daily newspaper Jaam-e Jam said Iran was "awaiting the people".

Preliminary election results are expected to be released by Saturday morning.

BBC
 

Iranians vote in run-off presidential race amid widespread apathy​


Iranians voted on Friday in a run-off presidential election that will test the clerical rulers’ popularity amid voter apathy at a time of regional tensions and a standoff with the West over Tehran’s nuclear program.

State TV said polling stations opened their doors to voters at 8 a.m. local time (0430 GMT). Polling was to have ended at 6 p.m. (1430 GMT), but was extended until 8 p.m. in response to “requests from provinces across the country,” an interior ministry spokesman told state TV.

It showed queues inside polling stations in several cities later in the day. The final result will be announced on Saturday, although initial figures may come out sooner.

The run-off follows a June 28 ballot with historically low turnout, when over 60 percent of Iranian voters abstained from the snap election for a successor to Ebrahim Raisi, following his death in a helicopter crash. The low participation is seen by critics as a vote of no confidence in the Islamic Republic.

The vote is a tight race between low-key lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian, the sole moderate in the original field of four candidates, and hardline former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, a staunch advocate of deepening ties with Russia and China.

While the election is expected to have little impact on the Islamic Republic’s policies, the president will be closely involved in selecting the successor to Ali Khamenei, Iran’s 85-year-old supreme leader who calls all the shots on top matters of state.

“I have heard that people’s zeal and interest is higher than in the first round. May God make it this way as this will be gratifying news,” Khamenei told state TV after casting his vote.

Khamenei acknowledged on Wednesday “a lower than expected turnout” last week, but said “it is wrong to assume those who abstained in the first round are opposed to Islamic rule.”

Voter turnout has plunged over the past four years, which critics say underlines that support for clerical rule has eroded at a time of growing public discontent over economic hardship and curbs on political and social freedoms.

Only 48 percent of voters participated in the 2021 election that brought Raisi to power, and turnout was 41 percent in a parliamentary election in March.

However, the interior ministry spokesman told state TV that early reports indicated “higher participation compared with the same hour in the first round of the election.”

The election coincides with escalating Middle East tensions due to the war between Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as increased Western pressure on Iran over its fast-advancing uranium enrichment program.

“Voting gives power ... even if there are criticisms, people should vote as each vote is like a missile launch (against enemies),” Amirali Hajizadeh, the commander of the aerospace unit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), told state media.

The next president is not expected to produce any major policy shift on the nuclear program or change in support for militia groups across the Middle East, but he runs the government day-to-day and can influence the tone of Iran’s foreign and domestic policy.

Election rivals Jalili and Pezeshkian are establishment men loyal to Iran’s theocracy. But analysts said a win by the anti-Western Jalili would signal a potentially an even more authoritarian domestic policy and antagonistic foreign policy.

A triumph by Pezeshkian might promote a pragmatic foreign policy, ease tensions over now-stalled negotiations with major powers to revive a 2015 nuclear deal, and improve prospects for social liberalization and political pluralism.

However, many voters are skeptical about Pezeshkian’s ability to fulfil his campaign promises as the former health minister has publicly stated that he had no intention of confronting Iran’s power elite of clerics and security hawks.

“I did not vote last week but today I voted for Pezeshkian. I know Pezeshkian will be a lame duck president but still he is better than a hardliner,” said Afarin, 37, owner of a beauty salon in the central city of Isfahan.

Many Iranians have painful memories of the handling of nationwide unrest sparked by the death in custody of young Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in 2022, which was quelled by a violent state crackdown involving mass detentions and even executions.

“I will not vote. This is a big NO to the Islamic Republic because of Mahsa (Amini). I want a free country, I want a free life,” said university student Sepideh, 19, in Tehran.

The hashtag #ElectionCircus has been widely posted on social media platform X since last week, with some activists at home and abroad calling for an election boycott, arguing that a high turnout would legitimize the Islamic Republic.

Both candidates have vowed to revive the flagging economy, which has been beset by mismanagement, state corruption and sanctions reimposed since 2018 after the United States under then-President Donald Trump ditched the nuclear deal.

“I will vote for Jalili. He believes in Islamic values. He has promised to end our economic hardships,” retired employee Mahmoud Hamidzadegan, 64, said in the northern city of Sari.

 
Reformer Massoud Pezeshkian elected Iran's president

Reformist Massoud Pezeshkian has been elected Iran's new president, beating his hardline conservative rival Saeed Jalili.

The vote was declared in Dr Pezeshkian's favour after he secured 53.3% of the more than 30 million votes counted. Mr Jalili polled 44.3%.

The run-off came after no candidate secured a majority in the first round of the election on 28 June, which saw a historically low voter turnout of 40%.

The election was called after Iran’s previous president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May, in which seven others died.

Even before the final results were declared by Iran's interior ministry, Dr Pezeshkian's supporters had taken to the streets in Tehran and a number of other cities to celebrate.

Videos posted on social media showed mostly young people dance and wave the signature green flag of his campaign, while passing cars sounded their horns.

Dr Pezeshkian, a former heart surgeon, 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 programme in return for an easing of Western sanctions.

His rival, Saeed Jalili, favours the status quo. The former nuclear negotiator enjoys strong support amongst Iran’s most religious communities.

Mr Jalili is known for his hardline anti-Western stance and opposition to restoring the nuclear deal, which he says crossed Iran’s “red lines".

Turnout in the latest round of voting was 50% - higher than the first round last week, when the turnout was the lowest since the Islamic revolution in 1979 amid widespread discontent, but still low.

Widespread discontent meant that millions of people boycotted the elections.

Lack of choice in the candidates, dominated by Islamic hard liners, and the impossibility of real change as long as the supreme leader tightly controls policies added to their frustration.

Some people who did not vote in the first round were persuaded to cast their ballot for Dr Pezeshkian this time round to prevent Mr Jalili from becoming the president.

They feared that with the victory of Mr Jalili, Iran would be heading for more confrontation with the outside world and that he would bring Iran nothing but more sanctions and more isolation.

In order to stand, both candidates had to make it through a vetting process run by the Guardian Council, a body made up of 12 clerics and jurists that hold significant power in Iran.

That process saw 74 other candidates removed from the race, including several women.

The Guardian Council has previously been criticised by human rights groups for disqualifying candidates who are not loyal enough to the regime.

After years of civil unrest - culminating in anti-regime protests that shook the country in 2022-23 - many young and middle-class Iranians deeply mistrust the establishment and have previously refused to vote.

On Iranian social media, the Persian hashtag "traitorous minority" has gone viral, urging people not to vote for either of the candidates and calling anyone who does so a "traitor".

But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected suggestions that the low turnout represents a rejection of his rule.

"There are reasons [behind the low turnout] and politicians and sociologists will examine them, but if anyone thinks that those who did not vote are against the establishment, they are plainly wrong," he said.

In a rare move, he acknowledged that some Iranians do not accept the current regime. "We listen to them and we know what they are saying and it is not like they are hidden and not seen," Mr Khamenei said.

Within Iran, local media has encouraged people to cast ballots.

Reformist daily newspaper Sazandegi said "the future is tied to your votes" while the Hammihan newspaper said "now it's your turn".

Tehran municipality-run daily newspaper Hamshahri published a piece entitled "100 reasons for voting", while the state broadcaster-run daily newspaper Jaam-e Jam said Iran was "awaiting the people".

BBC
 
Iran's new president gives hope to some women and younger voters

A relatively moderate member of the Iranian parliament, Masoud Pezeshkian has been declared the next president of Iran after beating his hardline conservative rival by a decisive margin in Friday’s run-off presidential elections.

The 69-year-old will replace Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last month.

Mr Pezeshkian’s mostly young supporters took to the streets of the capital, Tehran, and other cities to celebrate - even before the final results were declared, singing, dancing and waving his campaign's signature green flags.

He has given some of the nation's younger generation hope at a time when many were despondent about their future. Some were even planning to leave the country to seek a better life elsewhere.

Representing the city of Tabriz in the Iranian parliament since 2008, he has previously served as the country's heath minister.

In the 1990s, he lost his wife and one of his children in a car accident. He never remarried and raised his other three children - two sons and a daughter - alone.

His win has upset the plans of the Islamic hardliners, who hoped to install another conservative to replace Raisi and - alongside supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - control all of Iran's levers of power.

At a polling station in Tehran, 48-year-old Fatemeh told the AFP news agency she had voted for the moderate as his "priorities include women and young people's rights".

Afarin, 37, who owns a beauty salon in Isfahan, told Reuters: "I know Pezeshkian will be a lame-duck president, but still he is better than a hardliner."

Many voters boycotted the first round of voting last week - angry at repression at home and international confrontation which has brought Iran increased sanctions and expanding poverty.

They were also frustrated by the lack of choice in the elections - of the six candidates who were allowed to run, five were hardline Islamists.

And there was a sense of despair that - with Ayatollah Khamenei having final say over government policy - there is little chance of real change.

But in the run-off election on Friday, some seem to have changed their mind and turned out at polling stations, many voting tactically for Mr Pezeshkian in order to block victory for Mr Jalili.

He would have reaffirmed many policies that have been the subject of both domestic and international discontent, such as Iran's controversial morality police patrols.

Mr Jalili took an anti-Western stance during his campaign and criticised the 2015 deal that saw Iran curb its nuclear programme in exchange for eased sanctions. Voters were concerned that if he won, his presidency may have antagonised the US and its regional allies - and worsened Iran's economic situation.

By comparison, Mr Pezeshkian has called for "constructive relations" with Western nations, and to revive the nuclear deal to "get Iran out of its isolation". He has said that Iran’s economy cannot function with the crippling sanctions currently placed on it.

A win for Mr Jalili would have also signalled a shift to a potentially harsher domestic policy, reinforcing the requirement for women to wear a headscarf.

Mr Pezeshkian is against using force to impose the compulsory hijab rule - a major issue in the past few years.

He has previously lamented the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young women who had been arrested for an alleged violation of the law. Her death sparked massive nation-wide protests, unlike any the country had ever seen.

The president-elect is expected to take the reins of power in a matter of days to fill the void in government left by Raisi's sudden death.

As well as pushing to revive the nuclear deal and ease sanctions, Mr Pezeshkian has promised to see Iran join international banking conventions. Conservatives have been reluctant to do so, depriving Iran of normal banking relations with other nations.

He has also said he will remove Iran's extensive internet censors.

But it is unclear how much political freedom he will be given to bring about meaningful change.

BBC
 

World leaders congratulate Iran’s Pezeshkian on election win​


Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian on his election as the new president of Iran, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

“I hope that your activities as president will contribute to further building up constructive bilateral cooperation in all areas for the benefit of our friendly peoples, in the interests of simplifying regional security and stability,” the statement said.

Pezeshkian has pledged to open Iran to the world and deliver freedoms its people have yearned for.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday congratulated Pezeshkian for his win, state media reported.

“I am willing to work with the President to lead the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership towards deeper advancement,” state news agency Xinhua reported Xi as saying.

The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, wished success to Pezeshkian and said he looks “forward to working together to further strengthen ties between the UAE and Iran for the benefit of our two nations and peoples.”

The emirs of Qatar and Kuwait sent cables of congratulations to Pezeshkian, official media reported.

The emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad al-Jaber, sent a cable of congratulations to Pezeshkian, wishing “more prosperity and development” for the country, Kuwait’s official KUNA news agency said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Pezeshkian on Saturday for his win in Iran’s presidential runoff election.

“Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region,” Modi wrote on social media platform X.

India and Iran have warm ties despite Tehran’s pariah status among Western countries including the United States, at the same time as New Delhi pursues greater security cooperation with Washington.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, for whom Tehran is a top ally, also congratulated Pezeshkian after his victory.

Assad affirmed the desire of Damascus to strengthen ties with Tehran.

In a message published on the Syrian presidency’s social media accounts, Assad said: “We are keen to ensure that our relationship remains at its peak.”

He added that he wants to work with Pezeshkian “to strengthen the Syrian-Iranian strategic relationship” and that “resistance will remain the common approach we follow.”

Iran has given financial and military support to Assad's regime during Syria’s 13-year conflict that began when security forces cracked down on anti-government protests.

Along with Russia, Iran has helped Assad regain territory lost earlier in the civil war.

 
Eight arrested in Iran for fatal attack on election vehicle

Iranian intelligence forces have arrested eight suspects in connection with a deadly attack on a vehicle carrying a ballot box in Sistan and Baluchestan province, the official IRNA reported on Sunday.

The incident occurred following the first round of Iran's presidential election on June 29, resulting in the deaths of two security personnel and injuries to several others.


The province's intelligence department arrested the "terrorist" suspects on Friday, according to a statement quoted by the IRNA report. Weapons, ammunition, grenades, two-way radios, and explosive materials were seized from the suspects.

The intelligence authorities also claimed that the group received direction from their ringleaders who were based in a "neighboring country" and was planning further attacks, without revealing the name of the country.

The attackers failed to steal the ballot box despite injuring five passengers, including law enforcement and election staff. Two officers succumbed to their injuries after the attack.

Sistan and Baluchestan province, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, has seen numerous terrorist incidents targeting civilians and security forces in recent years.


Tribune
 
What to expect from Iran's new president

Iran’s president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian stood as a wildcard candidate, and defied expectations to win the presidency against hardline rival Saeed Jalili.

Mr Pezeshkian is notable because he is "a reformist". But not the liberal-minded, democracy-loving kind of reformist, in the universal sense.

In Iran, "the reformists" are one ideological faction of the Islamic Republic's ruling elite.

They are Islamists, like their conservative rivals, but believe a more moderate version of the regime’s ideology could better serve both the ruling clergy and Iranian society.

Reformists led the administration from 1997 until 2005 and were part of a de facto coalition when Hassan Rouhani, a conservative who became a centrist, was president between 2013 and 2021.

They have often called for a freer and more democratic society.

But in the 2024 election, unlike the previous reformist administration in the late 1990s, promises for a freer and more democratic society were not part of their campaign.

Since the 1990s, Iran has experienced multiple waves of dissent and oppression. Even reformists themselves have faced severe political crackdowns, with many high-profile figures spending time in jail over the last two decades.

Though members of the establishment, It is widely acknowledged that they lack influence over crucial centres of power, such as the Supreme Leader’s Office, the Guardian Council, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), and the Supreme National Security Council.

When hardline former president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May and Mr Pezeshkian prepared his presidential campaign, he chose a strategy very similar to Hassan Rouhani’s in 2013: focusing on the economic hardship the country has been facing for years due to Western sanctions - and blaming their conservative rivals for causing this situation with their “radical” anti-West stances.

As part of his campaign, Mr Pezeshkian recruited Mohammad Javad Zarif, the country’s former foreign minister who helped strike the nuclear deal in 2015. Although Mr Zarif is not a reformist per se, he campaigned heavily for Mr Pezeshkian.

In his manifesto, Mr Pezeshkian declared that his foreign policy would be “not anti-West, nor anti-East.” He criticised former president Raisi’s policies of moving the country closer to Russia and China and insisted that the only way to resolve the economic crisis is through negotiations with the West to end the nuclear standoff and ease the sanctions.

However, during the campaign, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, criticised these ideas. Mr Khamenei called those who believe in achieving prosperity through friendlier relations with the US “deluded,” - pointing to the fact that it was the US, not Iran, that withdrew from the nuclear deal.

According to the Iranian constitution, Mr Khamenei is the main decision-maker; an 85-year-old Shia cleric who was a revolutionary in 1979 and climbed the power ladder to become the head of state in 1989. He is known for his ideological animosity towards Israel and the United States, his deep distrust of the West, and in the last two decades, his active support for a doctrine called “look to the East,” which means ending the old non-aligned policy and leaning towards China and Russia on the global stage.

One of the most important aspects of Iran’s policies in the region is what the Quds Force (the external arm of the IRGC) does. The president does not have any direct control over them, and only the Supreme Leader can decide their actions.

Mr Khamenei repeatedly – including just three days before the first round of this election – stated that what the Quds Force does is essential for the country’s security doctrine.

So when Mr Pezeshkian talks about a different foreign policy with a friendlier approach to the West, the chance of changes in Iran’s activities in countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen are slim.

Nevertheless, the president is the highest-ranking Iranian diplomat, and the foreign ministry can still help shape and implement policy.

They have the opportunity to push for their vision through behind-the-door political lobbying, as happened in 2015 when then-centrist President Hassan Rouhani convinced the hardliners, including Mr Khamenei himself, to accept the deal.

Moreover, the administration could significantly impact public discourse and promote policies that might not fully align with Mr Khamenei’s stance. Such nuances are the reformists' only hope to do what they promised and bring down what Mr Pezeshkian called the “walls that have been built around the country by the hardliners.”

BBC
 

Iran President-elect Pezeshkian to be sworn in on July 30​


Iran’s President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian will take the oath of office in parliament on July 30, a member of the legislature’s presiding board, Mojtaba Yousefi, said on Wednesday.

“The swearing-in ceremony of Masoud Pezeshkian will be held on July 30,” state news agency IRNA quoted Yousefi as saying.

Yousefi had said earlier this week that the swearing in would be held on August 4 or 5.

Iran’s president is not head of state. Ultimate authority rests with the supreme leader – a post held by Ali Khamenei for the past 35 years.

Pezeshkian won a second-round runoff against ultraconservative Saeed Jalili on Friday. The 69-year-old reformist took around 54 percent of the 30 million votes cast.

The election was called early after the death of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

 
Iran President-elect Ready For 'Constructive Dialogue' With Europe

Iran's president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian said he looks forward to improved relations with European nations, even though he accused them of reneging on commitments to mitigate the impact of US sanctions.

Pezeshkian won a runoff election against ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili last week.

The 69-year-old has called for "constructive relations" with Western countries to "get Iran out of its isolation", and favours reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers.

The United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018, reimposing sanctions, which led Iran to gradually reduce its commitment to the terms of the deal. The agreement aimed to curb nuclear activity, which Tehran maintains is for peaceful purposes.

In an article published late Friday in the English-language Tehran Times newspaper, Pezeshkian said that after the US pullout from the 2015 deal, European nations committed to trying to salvage it and mitigate the impact of US sanctions.

"European countries have reneged on all these commitments," Pezeshkian wrote.

"Despite these missteps, I look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with European countries to set our relations on the right path, based on principles of mutual respect and equal footing."

He said the two sides could explore "numerous areas of cooperation" if the Europeans "set aside self-arrogated moral supremacy coupled with manufactured crises that have plagued our relations for so long."

European Union spokeswoman Nabila Massrali had earlier congratulated Pezeshkian on his election, saying the 27-member bloc was "ready to engage with the new government in line with EU policy of critical engagement".

The death of ultraconservative president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash necessitated the July 6 election, which was not due until 2025.

In the runoff, Pezeshkian secured about 54 percent of the vote against Jalili's roughly 44 percent, with a turnout of just under half of Iran's 61 million electorate.

Pezeshkian is a heart surgeon whose only previous government experience was as health minister about two decades ago.

He is considered a "reformist" in Iran, and was the only candidate from that camp allowed to stand in the election, for which all contenders were approved by Iran's Guardian Council.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all major policy issues in the country.

Under the hard-won 2015 deal, Iran agreed to freeze its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of the crippling international sanctions.

After the US withdrawal and reimposition of sanctions, Iran gradually began reneging on its own commitments to the agreement.

"The United States also needs to recognise the reality and understand, once and for all, that Iran does not -- and will not -- respond to pressure," said Pezeshkian, who is to be sworn in on July 30.

The parties to the 2015 deal with Iran saw it as the best way to stop the Islamic republic from building a nuclear bomb -– a goal Tehran has always denied.

European Union members France and Germany were also party to the deal, along with Britain, China and Russia.

The European nations tried to salvage it, but Iran accused them of perceived inaction.

Under the late president Raisi, Iran sought improved relations with China and Russia while mending ties with Arab neighbours, chiefly Saudi Arabia, to avert deeper isolation.

In his article, Pezeshkian described Russia as a "valued strategic ally" and said he looked forward "to collaborating more extensively" with China.

He said Iran was keen to cooperate with its Arab neighbours and Turkey to deepen economic and trade relations and "tackle common challenges".

AFP
 

Saudi Crown Prince congratulates Iranian President on election victory during a phone call​


Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman congratulated President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian on winning the presidential elections in Iran during a phone call on Wednesday.

The Crown Prince and President Pezeshkian praised the development of relations at all levels, stressing the importance of continuing to enhance cooperation in various fields between the two countries.

The Iranian President expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his kind wishes.

saudigazette.com.sa

Saudi Crown Prince congratulates Iranian President on election victory during a phone call

Saudi Crown Prince congratulates Iranian President on election victory during a phone call
saudigazette.com.sa saudigazette.com.sa
 

How Iran’s Khamenei elevated a little-known moderate to the presidency​


When intelligence officials briefed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in May ahead of a snap presidential election, their report was grim: angered by economic hardship and crackdowns on social freedoms, most Iranians planned to boycott the vote and turnout would only be about 13 percent.

That’s when Khamenei decided to plan a carefully orchestrated election, setting the stage for a little-known but trusted moderate, Masoud Pezeshkian, to rise to the presidency in a race that would initially be dominated by hardliners, five people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Khamenei gathered a handful of his most trusted advisers to discuss his plan in at least three meetings in late May at his residence in a fortified compound in Tehran, according to the five people, who are two hardline sources, a top security official and two insiders close to Khamenei’s inner circle.

The supreme leader was concerned low turnout would damage the clerical establishment’s credibility and he ordered those present to find a way to steer the election, said one of the people, who was briefed about the meetings.

The election was called after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May. His death upset the plans of many fellow hardliners who wanted him to succeed the 85-year-old Khamenei and triggered a race among hardliners to influence the selection of the next supreme leader.

Khamenei’s aim was to preserve the Islamic Republic amid domestic dissent and heightened tensions with the West and Israel over Gaza, exacerbated by the involvement of Tehran’s allies Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, according to the five people, who were briefed in detail about what Khamenei said during the meetings regarding his plan and its goals.

One of the insiders briefed about the meeting said Khamenei believed Iran needed a president who could appeal to different layers of society, but would not challenge the ruling Shia theocracy.

Several names were floated at the second meeting. Khamenei suggested Pezeshkian as a person who could foster unity among those in power, bridge the gap between the clerical establishment and the people, and ensure a smooth selection process for the next supreme leader, two sources said.

“It was a flawless plan by the supreme leader ... which guaranteed the survival of the Islamic Republic,” said Tehran-based pro-reform analyst Saeed Laylaz.

“Pezeshkian will avoid any crisis at home, whether with the nation or the establishment,” Laylaz said. “That will allow top leaders to decide about the succession and plan it in a calm atmosphere.”

Khamenei’s office, the public relations office for the IRGC and Pezeshkian’s office could not be reached for comment. Velayati’s office declined to comment.

Election engineering?

The new president is not expected to usher in any major shift on Iran’s nuclear or foreign policy, or its support for militias in the region, but he will be closely involved in selecting the successor to Khamenei, who calls the shots on top state matters.

Pezeshkian’s mild profile, the sources said, would appease disgruntled Iranians, ensure domestic stability amid mounting foreign pressure, as well as providing Khamenei with a trusted ally in the eventual succession process.

A regional source close to Iranian circles of power said Pezeshkian’s election had been “engineered” to defuse tensions after a wave of popular protests sparked by the death in custody of a young woman in 2022 and stricter curbs on social freedoms imposed by Raisi.

The initial phase of Khamenei’s plan was set in motion when then-lawmaker Pezeshkian - encouraged by pragmatic former officials with links to the supreme leader’s office - registered to stand in the June 28 election, two sources said.

They said Pezeshkian was unaware of the behind-the-scenes decisions. One source close to him said he didn’t even expect to be approved by the Guardian Council, an unelected vetting body of six clerics and six jurists aligned to Khamenei which has banned many moderate and prominent conservative candidates in the past.

Khamenei’s plan was designed to appear fair and democratic, so two prominent hardline candidates, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, were approved by the vetting council, the five people familiar with the matter said.

That meant hardliner votes would likely be split between them, making it harder for both to make it to a run-off.

Jalili belongs to the ultra-hardline camp of “Paydari,” which advocates tougher social restrictions, self-reliance, a hawkish foreign policy - and is believed to have already chosen its candidate to succeed Khamenei, said former Iranian lawmaker Noureddin Pirmoazen, a reformer now based in the United States.

A win for Jalili, who opposed the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, would have sent a negative signal to the West as it piles pressure on Tehran over its fast-advancing uranium enrichment program, three analysts and two diplomats told Reuters.

“With the increased likelihood of Donald Trump’s return to the White House ... the Islamic Republic needed a moderate figure to keep dialogue with the West open and reduce tensions,” said one Western diplomat in the region.

A Guardian Council spokesman said: “It was a transparent and impartial election.”

Jalili and Ghalibaf could not be reached for comment.

A US State Department spokesperson said: “We can’t speculate on specific theories of what may have transpired behind the scenes of Iran’s recent presidential election. What we can say with certainty is that elections in Iran are neither free nor fair.”

A White House National Security Council spokesperson did not respond directly to questions about the main points of this story but said Washington had no expectation the elections would lead to fundamental change in Iran’s direction or more respect for the human rights of its citizens.

The desired outcome

Pezeshkian, who is an Azeri ethnic minority, won the first round with a core of voters that analysts said was mostly urban middle class or young - groups widely disillusioned by years of security crackdowns.

But voter turnout was just 40 percent, the lowest for any election in the Islamic Republic, and the election went to a run-off between Pezeshkian and the fervently anti-Western Jalili.

Ghalibaf, a security hawk, who has echoed the views of Khamenei on every major issue, such as backing the power of Islamic clerics, finished third.

Fearing Jalili’s antagonistic domestic and foreign policy, many Iranians who voted for Ghalibaf, or abstained, went for Pezeshkian in the second round on July 5, bumping up the turnover to almost 50 percent of Iran’s 61 million voters.

Ultimately, Khamenei’s plan achieved the desired outcome.

Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old heart surgeon, backed by reformists, moderate conservatives and ethnic minorities, won with 54 percent of the votes.

“I thank the supreme leader. If it weren’t for him, I don’t think my name would have easily come out of ballot boxes,” Pezeshkian said on state TV.

Two sources close to Khamenei said Pezeshkian was referring to an order from the supreme leader to electoral officials to ensure votes were counted properly. The electoral authorities said there were no complaints about vote rigging.

Pezeshkian, loyal to Iran’s theocratic rule, has pledged to pursue a pragmatic foreign policy, ease tensions over now-stalled talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, and improve prospects for social liberalization.

He has spoken up for the rights of women and ethnic minorities and criticized the establishment’s handling of the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman who died in 2022 while in custody for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code.

“They arrest a girl because a few strands of her hair are showing ... and return her dead body to her family,” Pezeshkian said in 2022. “This behavior is unacceptable.”

However, many analysts are skeptical about whether Pezeshkian can fulfil all his campaign promises as he has publicly stated that he has no intention of confronting Iran’s powerful clerics and security hawks.

 
Pezeshkian sworn in as Iran’s president, vows to work to remove sanctions

Masoud Pezeshkian has been sworn in as Iran’s ninth president, replacing Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash in May.

Tuesday’s ceremony in parliament comes two days after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei officially endorsed Pezeshkian and gave the 69-year-old presidential powers.

“I as the president, in front of the holy Quran and the people of Iran, swear to almighty God to be the guardian of the official religion and the Islamic Republic system and the constitution of the country,” Pezeshkian said at the ceremony that was broadcast live on state TV.

Pezeshkian, who is expected to unveil his government within two weeks, had secured more than 16 million votes during Iran’s run-off election, or about 54 percent of the roughly 30 million ballots cast.

His victory has raised hopes of a thaw in Iran’s relations with the West. But Pezeshkian takes office at a time of escalating Middle East tensions over Israel’s war on Gaza and near-daily exchanges of fire between Israel and fighting with Iran’s ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

www.aljazeera.com

Pezeshkian sworn in as Iran’s president, vows to work to remove sanctions

Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to unveil his cabinet within two weeks.
www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com
 

Iran’s president proposes an ex-nuclear negotiator as foreign minister. A woman is also on the list​


Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday proposed former nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi as the country’s new foreign minister and also sought to appoint a woman as roads and housing minister. If approved, she would be Iran’s first female minister in more than a decade.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf read out the list of proposed ministers to lawmakers. The hard-line-dominated chamber will have two weeks to review qualifications and give a vote of confidence to the proposed ministers.

Araghchi, 61, a career diplomat, was a member of the Iranian negotiator team that reached a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015 that capped Tehran’s nuclear program in return for the lifting sanctions.

In 2018, then-President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal and imposed more sanctions on Iran. Pezeshkian said during his presidential campaign that he would try to revive the nuclear deal.

Pezeshkian proposed Farzaneh Sadegh as roads and housing minister. Sadegh, 47, is currently a director in the ministry. She would become only the second female minister in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It is unclear, however, whether she will be approved. The hard-line parliament seeks more cultural and social restrictions on women based on its interpretations of Islamic sharia. Many lawmakers voiced their opposition when her name was read by the speaker during Sunday’s session.


The only previous female minister to be approved by parliament since the revolution was in 2009, when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad secured a post for Marzieh Vahid Dastgerdi as health minister.

Iranian presidents have, however, appointed women to be vice presidents, a role that is not subject to parliamentary approval. Last week, Pezeshkian appointed Zahra Behrouz Azar as vice president in charge of women’s and family affairs.

The first female minister in Iran’s history was Farrokroo Parsa, who served as education minister in 1968-1971. Revolutionary authorities executed her after the 1979 revolution that ousted the pro-Western monarchy and brough Islamists to power.

Pezeshkian proposed Eskandar Momeni, a relatively moderate police general, as interior minister. The ministry deals with enforcing the mandatory wearing of the Islamic veil on women. In 2022, the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody after she was arrested for improper wearing of the hijab led to nationwide protests.

Pezeshkian, then a lawmaker, wrote at the time that it was “unacceptable in the Islamic Republic to arrest a girl for her hijab and then hand over her dead body to her family.”

He in comments has suggested that he wants less enforcement of the hijab law, as well as better relations with the West and a return to the nuclear accord.

The president is likely to face opposition in passing legislation that supports his stated program, however, as the chamber is dominated by hard-liners who mainly supported other candidates during the June- July presidential election.

apnews.com

Iran’s president proposes an ex-nuclear negotiator as foreign minister. A woman is also on the list

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has proposed former nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi as the country’s new foreign minister and named a woman as housing minister.
apnews.com apnews.com
 
Helicopter of Iran’s late President Raisi crashed due to weather, Fars says

The helicopter crash in which Iran’s late President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in May was caused by weather conditions and the aircraft’s inability to handle the weight it was carrying, Iran’s semi-official news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a security source informed of the final investigation results.

A preliminary report by Iran’s military had said in May that no evidence of foul play or attack had been found so far during investigations into the crash.

“The investigation in the case of Ayatollah Raisi’s helicopter crash have been completed ... there is complete certainty that what happened was an accident,” the security source that was not named told Fars news agency.

Two reasons for the accident were identified: the weather conditions were not suitable and the helicopter was unable to handle the weight, leading to it crashing into a mountain, the source added, according to Fars.

The investigations indicate that the helicopter was carrying two individuals more than the capacity that security protocols dictate, the source told Fars.

Raisi, a hard-liner and potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border.


Arab News
 

Iran final investigation finds Raisi helicopter crash caused by weather​


Iran’s final investigation into the May helicopter crash that killed president Ebrahim Raisi has found it was caused by bad weather, the body investigating the case said Sunday.

The helicopter carrying 63-year-old Raisi and his entourage came down on a fog-shrouded mountainside in northern Iran, killing the president and seven others, and triggering snap elections.

The main cause of the helicopter crash was the “complex climatic and atmospheric conditions of the region in the spring,” the special board investigating the dimensions and causes of the helicopter accident said, according to state broadcaster IRIB.

The report added that “the sudden emergence of a thick mass of dense and rising fog” caused the helicopter’s collision into the mountain.

Iran’s army in May similarly said it had found no evidence of criminal activity in the crash that also killed Raisi’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

In August, Fars news agency cited the main causes of the May 19 crash as bad weather conditions and the helicopter’s inability to ascend with two extra passengers against security protocols.

But the Iranian armed forces were quick to reject the finding saying, “what is mentioned on Fars news about the presence of two people in the helicopter against the security protocols... is completely false.”

 

Iran’s President Pezeshkian to visit Iraq in first foreign trip​


Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will visit neighboring Iraq on Wednesday, state media reported Sunday, in what will be his first trip abroad since he took office in July.

Pezeshkian will head a high-ranking Iranians delegation to Baghdad to meet senior Iraqi officials.

The visit comes at the invitation of Iraq’s premier, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the official IRNA news agency quoted Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad Mohammad Kazem al-Sadegh as saying.

The two countries will sign memoranda of understanding on cooperation and security, al-Sadegh said, without elaborating.

He said the agreements were to have been signed during a planned visit to Iraq by Iran’s late president, Ebrahim Raisi.

But Raisi was killed in May along with the then foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, when their helicopter crashed on a fog-shrouded mountainside in northern Iran.

Since taking office, Pezeshkian has vowed to “prioritize” strengthening ties with the Islamic Republic’s neighbors.

Relations between Iran and Iraq, both Shia-majority countries, have grown closer over the past two decades.

Tehran is one of Iraq’s leading trade partners, and wields considerable political influence in Baghdad where its Iraqi allies dominate parliament and the current government.

In March 2023 the two countries signed a security agreement covering their common border, months after Tehran struck Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq’s north.

They have since agreed to disarm Iranian Kurdish rebel groups and remove them from border areas.

Tehran accuses the groups of importing arms from Iraq and of fomenting 2022 protests that erupted after the death in custody of Iranian-Kurd woman Mahsa Amini.

In January, Iran launched a deadly strike in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, saying it had targeted a site used by “spies of the Zionist regime [Mossad].”

On Saturday, an exiled Iranian Kurdish group said one of its activists, Behzad Khosrawi, had been arrested in Iraq’s northern city of Sulaimaniyah and handed over to “Iranian intelligence.”

Local Asayesh security forces said Khosrawi was arrested “because he did not have residency” in the Kurdish region, and denied he had any connection to “political activism.”

 
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