Who is Masoud Pezeshkian? Meet Iran's new president
Iran's reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won a runoff presidential election against ultraconservative Saeed Jalili.
Photo Credits: HT File Photo
Pezeshkian is a 69-year-old heart surgeon, who calls for "constructive relations" with Western countries to revive the nuclear deal to "get Iran out of its isolation".
Photo Credits: X/@drpezeshkian
The reformist leader set to become Iran's president promised to ease long-standing internet restrictions and to "fully" oppose police patrols enforcing the mandatory headscarf for women.
Photo Credits: X/@drpezeshkian
Pezeshkian had earlier offered comments suggesting he wants better relations with the West, a return to the atomic accord and less enforcement of the hijab law.
Photo Credits: X/@drpezeshkian
Pezeshkian was born on September 29, 1954 in Mahabad in northwestern Iran to an Azeri father and a Kurdish mother.
Photo Credits: X/@drpezeshkian
He speaks Azeri and has focused on the minority ethnic groups' affairs. He served in the Iran-Iraq war and later became a heart surgeon.
Photo Credits: X/@drpezeshkian
A car crash in 1994 killed his wife and a daughter and the doctor never remarried. Pezeshkian raised his two sons and a daughter alone.
Photo Credits: HT File Photo
Pezeshkian entered politics as Iran's deputy health minister. He was involved in the struggle between hard-liners and reformists while attending the autopsy of Zahra Kazemi, a photographer who died in custody.
Photo Credits: HT File Photo
Pezeshkian was elected as a lawmaker representing Tabriz in 2006. He later served as a deputy parliament speaker. He repeatedly criticized the US.
Photo Credits: AFP
The top leader registered to run for president in 2011 but withdrew his candidacy. In 2021, he was barred from running by authorities.
Photo Credits: Flickr/Prachatai
The top leader registered to run for president in 2011 but withdrew his candidacy. In 2021, he was barred from running by authorities.