In Iran’s presidential runoff election held on Saturday, Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist candidate and heart surgeon, emerged as the winner. His campaign promises included engaging with Western nations and easing the enforcement of Iran’s mandatory headscarf law. These pledges resonated with voters following a challenging period marked by sanctions and protests that have put pressure on the Islamic Republic. Pezeshkian’s rival, the hard-liner Saeed Jalili, was unsuccessful in his bid for the presidency.
