Meet Iran's New President: Masoud Pezeshkian

His professional background includes training as a cardiac surgeon and serving as a former Iranian Minister of Health.

Iranian presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian is greeted by supporters as he arrives to cast his vote at a polling station in Shahr-e-Quds near Tehran, Iran, July 5, 2024. (AP)

The second round of Iran’s presidential election has declared parliamentarian and former health minister Masoud Pezeshkian the winner after defeating rival Saeed Jalili and succeeding the late Ebrahim Raisi.

According to official figures from the ministry, Pezeshkian received 16,384,403 votes, compared to 13,538,179 votes for conservative candidate Saeed Jalili, becoming the ninth elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the victory of the Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khomeini in 1979.

Born in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, on September 29, 1954, Pezeshkian most recently served as a representative from Tabriz, in northwestern Iran, in the 12th Iranian Parliament.

During his career, he rose through the ranks to become Minister of Health under President Mohammad Khatami from 2001 to 2005.

Heart surgeon and university chancellor

Pezeshkian was elected to serve in the Parliament in the eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh terms. He also served as First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from 2016 to 2020.

A cardiac surgeon by training, he was previously chancellor of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and is now a faculty member at the prestigious institution in northern Iran.

The character images are from The Walking Dead TV series and are from The Walking Dead TV series. The first initial plan was to start, but the second initial plan was to finish the first initial plan and finish the initial plan. This is a question I get asked frequently. Thank you for your understanding.

— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) July 6, 2024

He presented his ideas, emphasizing the importance of assigning seasoned professionals to its management.

In addition to declaring that Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, would be followed in all matters, he also named Javad Zarif, Iran’s former foreign minister, as his candidate to head the foreign ministry.

He stressed the need for unity among all political parties in the country and called for actions based on the principles of justice and righteousness.

Reiterating the country’s foreign policy principle of “Neither East nor West,” he stressed his administration’s commitment to promoting the country’s interests abroad.

Pezeshkian stressed the need to diversify foreign policy alternatives to improve trade and engagement, while emphasizing the importance of prioritizing partnerships with neighboring countries and expanding global ties to foster domestic prosperity.

He has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the laws of the Islamic Republic and the directives issued by Sayyed Ali Khamenei.