Iran's new president, Massoud Pezeshkian, shakes hands with a man while visiting the shrine of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeyni in Tehran, July 6, 2024. (Credit: Atta Kenare/AFP)
Has the Iranian regime fallen into its own trap? Or is Masoud Pezeshkian’s victory in the Iranian presidential election, announced on Saturday, a sign of the decision-makers’ desire to see the only reformist figure come to power for domestic and external reasons? The question has been raised for several days now. Admittedly, the Islamic Republic is a black box with often imperceptible motives. However, there are several clues.Rebound in voter turnout in favor of PezeshkianBy approving Pezeshkian’s candidacy in the elections, hastily organized after the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19, the regime seemed to have taken a risky gamble. To avoid a setback, as in 2021, a year marked by the lowest turnout in its history (49 percent), the authorities reportedly sought to mobilize voters, many of whom had...
Has the Iranian regime fallen into its own trap? Or is Masoud Pezeshkian’s victory in the Iranian presidential election, announced on Saturday, a sign of the decision-makers’ desire to see the only reformist figure come to power for domestic and external reasons? The question has been raised for several days now. Admittedly, the Islamic Republic is a black box with often imperceptible motives. However, there are several clues.Rebound in voter turnout in favor of PezeshkianBy approving Pezeshkian’s candidacy in the elections, hastily organized after the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19, the regime seemed to have taken a risky gamble. To avoid a setback, as in 2021, a year marked by the lowest turnout in its history (49 percent), the authorities reportedly sought to mobilize voters, many of whom...