Run-off Election Set in Iran After Low Voter Turnout
Iran is gearing up for a run-off election as no candidate managed to secure a majority in the recent presidential race. Hardliner Saeed Jalili and reformist-leaning Massoud Pezeshkian, who emerged as the top contenders, both fell short of the 50% vote threshold needed for an outright win. The pair hovered around the 40% mark, with Pezeshkian narrowly leading.
The interior ministry has announced that the second round of voting will take place on 5 July. The announcement comes amid reports of violence, with state media confirming that two security personnel were killed in Sistan-Baluchestan province after gunmen attacked a vehicle carrying election materials.
Pezeshkian, a former heart surgeon and health minister, has proposed a more progressive approach, criticizing the actions of the morality police as “immoral.” Despite his reformist image, Pezeshkian remains loyal to Iran’s supreme leader. Analysts suggest that his potential presidency might bring a shift in tone rather than substantial policy changes.
The election is to fill the vacancy left by former President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on 19 May along with seven others. This election saw a record low turnout, with only 40% of the 61.5 million eligible voters participating—the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had urged for a high voter turnout, emphasizing its importance. The low participation follows a period of significant unrest in Iran, marked by the 2022 protests after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old detained by the morality police. The protests were met with a severe crackdown, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests, according to human rights groups.