Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian Secures Victory in Iran's Presidential Runoff

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian emerged victorious in Iran's runoff presidential election, defeating hard-liner Saeed Jalili by pledging to ease headscarf law enforcement and engage with the West. However, Iran's hard-liners and regional tensions, including the Israel-Hamas war and its nuclear ambitions, present significant challenges for his presidency.

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran's runoff presidential election Saturday, besting hard-liner Saeed Jalili by promising to reach out to the West and ease enforcement on the country's mandatory headscarf law after years of sanctions and protests squeezing the Islamic Republic.

Pezeshkian emphasized no radical changes to Iran's Shiite theocracy, acknowledging Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the ultimate authority. However, his modest reforms face challenges from hard-liners, ongoing regional tensions, and Western concerns over Iran's nuclear program.

The Interior Ministry reported Pezeshkian won with 16.3 million votes to Jalili's 13.5 million. Supporters celebrated in the streets, with Pezeshkian pledging cooperation and trust. Despite his victory, Iran remains at a crossroads, with economic woes, rising unrest, and complex international relations.

(With inputs from agencies.)