“We make promises and we don’t keep them. This is the biggest problem we have,” Pezeshkian said in his first speech as Iran’s new president.
The new president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkianhas given his first speech after winning the second round of Sunday’s elections.
“In these elections I have not made false promises to you. I have not lied“Pezeshkian said. “There have been many years since the revolution in which we stand on the podium, make promises and fail to keep them. “This is the biggest problem we have.”
Pezeshkian defeated hardliner Saeed Jalili by promising to reach out to the West and ease enforcement of the country’s mandatory headscarf law after years of sanctions and protests that have squeezed the Islamic Republic.
In his campaign, Pezeshkian has not promised radical changes in the Iranian Shiite theocracy and has long considered the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the final arbiter of all state affairs in the country.
But even Pezeshkian’s modest goals will be threatened by an Iranian government that remains in the hands of hardliners, the current war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the West’s fear that Tehran enriches uranium to near-weapon levels and have enough reserves to manufacture several nuclear weapons if desired.
Victory over Jalili with a margin of 2.8 million votes
A recount of votes offered by the authorities placed Pezeshkian as winner with 16.3 million votes compared to Jalili’s 13.5 million in Friday’s elections. In total, according to the Iranian Ministry of the Interior, 30 million people voted in an election held without internationally recognized observers, representing a turnout of 49.6%, higher than the historical minimum of the first round on June 28, but lower to that of other presidential elections.
Pezeshkian’s supporters, cardiac surgeon and legislator for many years, took to the streets of Tehran and other cities before dawn to celebrate their lead over Jalili, a former hardline nuclear negotiator. Pezeshkian later traveled to the mausoleum of the late Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and addressed journalists in a chaotic event.
Government officials, up to Supreme Leader Khamenei, They predicted greater participation when voting began, and state television broadcast images of modest queues at some polling stations. However, videos posted on the Internet showed some empty ballot boxes, while a survey in several dozen centers in Tehran showed light traffic and a heavy security presence on the streets.
The authorities counted 607,575 null votes, which are usually a sign of protest of those who feel obliged to vote but reject both candidates.
Khamenei on Saturday praised the turnout despite what he denounced as a boycott campaign “orchestrated by the enemies of the Iranian nation to induce desperation and a feeling of hopelessness.”
“I would like to recommend Dr. Pezeshkian, the president-elect, to put his trust in God, the Compassionate, and set his vision on high and bright horizons,” Khamenei added.
Voters expressed cautious optimism: “I don’t expect anything from him; I’m glad the vote stopped the hardliners,” said Fatemeh Babaei, a bank employee who voted for Pezeshkian. “I hope Pezeshkian can return the administration to a way where all people can feel that there is a tomorrow“.
