Iran’s presidential election will proceed to a second round, as no candidate achieved a majority win in the initial vote, according to the Interior Ministry.
The top two contenders, reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and conservative Saeed Jalili, will compete in the runoff election on July 5.
This development follows the tragic death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19, which led to a snap election with a relatively low turnout of 39.9% in the first round.
With all ballots counted, Pezeshkian secured 10.4 million votes (42.45%), with Jalili on 9.5 million votes (38.61%).
Their two other contenders – Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Mostafa Pourmohammadi – fell out of the race, with 13.78% and 0.84% of ballots, respectively.
According to Iranian law, a candidate needs to garner at least 50% plus 1 vote to be declared president.
Turnout stood at 24.5 million, or 40% of the 61 million people eligible to vote. The second round will be held on Friday, July 5, according to the interior minister as quoted by RT.
Pezeshkian, 69, is a heart surgeon-turned-politician, who served as health minister in the 2000s and as first deputy speaker of parliament from 2016 to 2020.
Jalili, 58, was Tehran’s negotiator during nuclear talks with the world powers. He is now a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, which advises Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
