2024 Iranian presidential election

2024 Iranian presidential election

28 June 2024 (first round) 5 July 2024 (second round)
Registered	61,452,321
Turnout	39.93% (first round) 8.55pp 49.68 % (second round) 1.2pp
File:Masoud Pezeshkian, 2024-6-12 (cropped).jpg File:Saeed Jalili 2021 (cropped) 2.jpg Nominee Masoud Pezeshkian Saeed Jalili Party Independent Independent Alliance Reformists Principlists Popular vote 16,384,403 13,538,179 Percentage 54.76% 45.24%
300px 300px
President before election Mohammad Mokhber (acting) ERROR: Use "Independent (politician)" instead of "Independent" Elected President Masoud Pezeshkian ERROR: Use "Independent (politician)" instead of "Independent"

Early presidential elections in Iran were held on 28 June 2024, following the death of the then president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on 19 May. As no candidate won a majority in the first round, a run off vote was held on 5 July between Saeed Jalili and Masoud Pezeshkian. With a 39.93% turnout, the first round of the election saw the lowest participation for a presidential election in the Islamic Republic's history, over 8 points lower than the previous record of 48.48% in the 2021 Iranian presidential election. On 6 July 2024, the Ministry of Interior declared Pezeshkian the winner of the election, with Jalili conceding defeat shortly thereafter.

Background

Main article: 2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash

On 19 May 2024, Raisi was returning from a trip to the Iran-Azerbaijan border to inaugurate a hydroelectric complex at the Giz Galasi reservoir alongside the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. During their journey, the helicopter carrying him and seven other passengers and crew crashed at approximately 13:30 IRST (UTC+03:30) near the village of Uzi in Varzaqan County in East Azerbaijan province. Later that day, the wreckage of the helicopter was located, with everyone on board found dead. This led to First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber becoming the acting president according to Article 131 of the Constitution.

File:Raisi funeral 1403030219303454830127974.jpg

Raisi's funeral

Electoral system

Main article: Elections in Iran

The president of Iran is usually elected every four years by a "direct vote of the people", as set out by Article 114 of the Iranian Constitution. This means that a presidential election should have taken place on or before 18 June 2025, but due to the death of the president, it will be held earlier. Under Iran's political system, the President is the country's highest directly elected official, the chief of the executive branch, and the second most important position after that of the Supreme Leader. The minimum voting age is 18.

According to the Islamic Republic of Iran's constitution, any Iranian citizen who believes in Shia Islam, is loyal to the Constitution, the ideology of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist and the Islamic Republic can participate in election as a presidential candidate. An institution called the Election Monitoring Agency (EMA), managed by the Guardian Council, vets registered candidates and selects a handful to run in the election.

The Guardian Council does not publicly announce the reason for rejections of particular candidates, although those reasons are privately explained to each candidate. Women are not constitutionally restricted from running; however, to date, every woman who has registered as a candidate has been excluded from standing for election by the Guardian Council. The council has officially denied rejecting a woman's candidacy because of her gender.

Candidates approved by the Guardian Council are put to a public vote. The winner is the candidate who receives a majority (50% plus one) of votes. If no candidate receives enough votes, a run-off election is held between the two candidates with the most votes the following Friday. Iranians who vote during the election receive a stamp that indicates so on their birth certificates.

According to the constitution, once the result is known, the Supreme Leader must sign the decree of the elected president, and if he refuses to sign, the elected president will not assume the presidency. So far, Supreme Leaders have always signed the decree of the elected president. After that, the elected president must recite and sign an oath in a session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, in the presence of the members of the Guardian Council and the head of the Supreme Court.

For this election, more than 61 million citizens are eligible to vote, with about 18 million of them between 18 and 30 years old. Voters are required to present birth certificates, passports or smart Iranian identity cards. The Ministry of Intelligence warned that presidential nominees were under constant monitoring.

Overseas voting

Voting for overseas Iranians was held in 344 locations worldwide. In Australia, polling was canceled in Brisbane and Sydney due to protests by the Iranian diaspora. The Biden administration was criticised by opponents of the Iranian government, who wanted a boycott of the election, for allowing the installation of voting stations in the United States. Saudi Arabia and Canada refused to grant Iran permission to install overseas ballot boxes, though the decision was later reversed in Saudi Arabia. Voting stations were instead placed on the US-Canada border.

Dates

Following the announcement of Raisi's death on 20 May, authorities announced that voting would be held on 28 June. Registration of candidates began on 30 May and ran until 3 June, while campaigning would last from 12 June until 27 June.

Candidates

The registration to run for the presidency started on 30 May and ended on 3 June. A total of 80 people, including four women, filed their candidacies for president. Most candidates were considered as conservatives and ultra conservatives. The final list of candidates was released by the Guardian Council on 9 June. Those rejected by the council were not allowed to protest the rejection.

Applied

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Name		Born	Experience	Campaign	Ref
x150px Mahmoud Ahmadinejad		28 October 1956 (age ) Aradan, Iran	Member of the Expediency Discernment Council (since 2013) President of Iran (2005–2013) Mayor of Tehran (2003–2005) Disqualified presidential candidate (2017, 2021)	Party: Islamic Society of Engineers Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Mehrdad Bazrpash		1980 (age ) Tehran, Iran	Minister of Roads and Urban Development (since 2022) President of the Supreme Audit Court (2020–2022) Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2012–2016)	Party: Front of Islamic Revolution Stability Applied: 3 June 2024
x150px Zohreh Elahian		1968 (age 56) Kermanshah, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2008–2012; 2020–2024)	Party: Society of Pathseekers Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili		1975 (age 49) Kabudarahang, Iran	Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance (since 2021)	Party: Independent Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf		23 August 1961 (age ) Torqabeh, Iran	Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (since 2020) Member of Expediency Discernment Council (2017–2020) Mayor of Tehran (2005–2017) Presidential candidate (2013, 2017)	Party: Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran Applied: 3 June 2024
x150px Vahid Haghanian		6 February 1962 (age ) Tehran, Iran	Deputy for Special affairs in the Office of the Supreme Leader.	Party: Independent Applied: 1 June 2024
x150px Abdonnaser Hemmati		9 June 1956 (age ) Kabudarahang, Iran	Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (2018–2021) Ambassador to China (2018) Governor of the Central Insurance of Iran (2016–2018, 1994–2006) Presidential candidate (2021)	Party: Executives of Construction Party Applied: 31 May 2024
x150px Eshaq Jahangiri		21 January 1958 (age −1,957) Sirjan County, Iran	First Vice President of Iran (2013–2021) Minister of Industries and Mines (2001–2005) Minister of Mines and Metals (1997–2001) Governor of Isfahan Province (1992–1997) Disqualified presidential candidate (2021)	Party: Executives of Construction Party Applied: 3 June 2024
x150px Saeed Jalili		6 September 1965 (age ) Mashhad, Iran	Member of the Expediency Discernment Council (since 2013) Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (2007–2013) Chief Nuclear Negotiator (2007–2013) Presidential candidate (2013, 2021)	Party: Independent Applied: 30 May 2024
x150px Mostafa Kavakebian		18 March 1963 (age ) Semnan, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2008–2012; 2016–2020) Disqualified presidential candidate (2005, 2013, 2017)	Party: Democracy Party Applied: 30 May 2024
x150px Sadeq Khalilian		8 August 1959 (age −1,951) Ahvaz, Iran	Governor General of Khuzestan (2021–2022) Minister of Agriculture (2009–2013)	Party: Independent Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Ali Larijani		3 June 1958 (age ) Najaf, Iraq	Member of the Expediency Discernment Council (1997–2008; since 2020) Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2008–2020) Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2008–2020) Presidential candidate (2005) Disqualified presidential candidate (2021)	Party: Independent Applied: 31 May 2024
x150px Mohammad Reza Mirtajodini		16 March 1963 (age ) Tabriz, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2004–2009, 2020–2024) Vice President of Iran (2009–2013)	Party: Independent Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Masoud Pezeshkian		29 September 1954 (age ) Mahabad, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2008–2024) Ministry of Health and Medical Education (2001–2005)	Party: Independent Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Mohammad Reza Pour Ebrahimi		8 August 1970 (age ) Rafsanjan, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2012–2024)	Party: Islamic Coalition Party Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Mohammadreza Sabaghian		1968 (age 56) Bafq, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (since 2016)	Party: Independent Applied: 30 May 2024
x150px Mahmoud Sadeghi		22 March 1962 (age ) Aligudarz, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2016–2020) Presidential candidate (2021)	Party: Islamic Association of University Instructors Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Mohammad Shariatmadari		24 June 1960 (age ) Tehran, Iran	Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare (2018–2021) Vice President of Iran for Executive Affairs (2013–2017) Minister of Commerce (1997–2005) Presidential candidate (2013)	Party: Independent Applied: 2 June 2024
x150px Alireza Zakani		3 March 1966 (age ) Ray, Iran	Mayor of Tehran (since 2021) Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2004–2016; 2020–2021) Presidential candidate (2013, 2017, 2021)	Party: Society of Pathseekers Applied: 1 June 2024
Hamideh Zarabadi		1980/1981 (age 43–44) Qazvin, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2016–2021)	Party: Independent Applied: 3 June 2024
x150px Masoud Zaribafan		1957 (age 67) Tehran, Iran	Vice President of Iran (2009–2013) Cabinet Secretary of Iran (2005–2006) Member of the Islamic City Council of Tehran (2003–2007)	Party: Society of Devotees of the Islamic Revolution Applied: 2 June 2024

Rejected

A total of 74 aspirants had their candidacies rejected by the Guardian Council. These included all four women who applied to run in the election. The applications of least 30 candidacies were rejected on 30 May for failure to meet the "basic conditions for qualification". Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the most notable to be disqualified by the Guardian Council, having been disqualified previously in 2021.

Approved

Six candidates were allowed by the Guardian Council to run for president, namely Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Saeed Jalili, Masoud Pezeshkian, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Amirhossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Alireza Zakani. On 26 June, Hashemi withdrew his candidacy and called on other candidates to follow "so that the front of the revolution will be strengthened". He was followed on 27 June by Zakani, who did so citing the need to "block the formation of a third administration" of former President Hassan Rouhani. Both candidates, as well as Ghalibaf, subsequently endorsed Jalili in the second round.

Name		Born	Experience	Party		Ref
x150px Masoud Pezeshkian		29 September 1954 (age ) Mahabad, Iran	Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (since 2008) Minister of Health and Medical Education (2001–2005)	Independent	Elected_Run-Off Round
x150px Saeed Jalili		6 September 1965 (age ) Mashhad, Iran	Member of the Expediency Discernment Council (since 2013) Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (2007–2013) Chief Nuclear Negotiator (2007–2013) Presidential candidate (2013, 2021)	Independent	Lose_Run-Off Round
x150px Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf		23 August 1961 (age ) Torqabeh, Iran	Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (since 2020) Member of Expediency Discernment Council (2017–2020) Mayor of Tehran (2005–2017) Presidential candidate (2005, 2013 and 2017)	Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran	Lose_First Round
x150px Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi (dropped out)		14 April 1971 (age ) Fariman, Iran	Vice President of Iran (since 2021) Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2008–2021) Presidential candidate (2021)	Islamic Law Party	Withdrew_First Round
x150px Mostafa Pourmohammadi		9 March 1960 (age ) Qom, Iran	Minister of Justice (2013–2017) Minister of Interior (2005–2008)	Combatant Clergy Association	Lose_First Round
x150px Alireza Zakani (dropped out)		3 March 1966 (age ) Ray, Iran	Mayor of Tehran (since 2021) Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2004–2016; 2020–2021) Presidential candidate (2021)	Society of Pathseekers	Withdrew_First Round

Campaign

A chatbot is trained by the debates by Iranian regime to answer questions. National Cyber Center has given AI assistants to nominees. In a speech on 3 June, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told candidates not to attack each other and expressed his preference for a "revolutionary president". Most candidates have centered their platforms on social welfare and improvement of living conditions.

The authorities gave 20GB of free internet data for use on domestic messengers and Telewebion for 30 days to mobile phones to promote information regarding the election. US-funded Radio Farda anticipates the total cost of the election to be more than US$357 million

Principlists

Saeed Jalili of the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability is running for president for the fourth time. Formerly the Minister of Foreign relations during JCPOA negotiations, he has been helping the government for the last 10 years. He is backed by the Islamic Society of Students. In his book Jalili's view on foreign policy is inspired by eschatology based on opposition to western world. In order to draw votes, Alireza Zakani claimed he would give away 120 tons of free meat every day. He also promised free health care for women and seniors as well as cash payments to the poor.

Reformists Front

Of the six candidates confirmed by the Guardian Council, Masoud Pezeshkian is regarded to be the only one representing moderates and reformists. He is backed by Nedaye Iranian, the National Trust Party, Moderation and Development Party, Coalition of Reformist Women's Parties and as well as by former President Mohammad Khatami, former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the Assembly of the Forces of Imam's Line. Pezeshkian's campaign slogan is "Living without Shamefulness". He has also campaigned against the Guidance patrol's 2024 Nour program and has criticised the country's laws on the wearing of the hijab.

In his campaign speech, Pezeshkian said that he would not be able to do anything for political prisoners as the president does not have that power. He also told students not to insult Khamenei and that he is "assimilated into the Supreme leader" and follows Khamenei's policies. Pezeshkian's campaign staff have also utilised the song Baraye, which was composed by imprisoned singer-songwriter Shervin Hajipour.

Issues

Ghalibaf has promised to reduce the number of Afghan immigrants and build a wall along Iran's borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan. He expressed his support in strengthening the Axis of Resistance. Ghalibaf promised better pay to health workers in order to stop emigration. Massoud Pezeshkian supported the banning of Afghan immigrants. He has said that he is open to closer relations with the United States and negotiating a new nuclear deal to alleviate Iran of its economic woes.

Mostafa Pourmohammadi has pledged an end to internet censorship. and supports nuclear negotiations but from a position of power. He has also criticised Iranian military support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine due to what he calls the lack of benefits from Russia. Jalili has opposed negotiations with the West as well as the ratification of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). In addition, Jalili supported the completion of an additional one million housing units. Jalili opposed importing cars from overseas while Ghalibaf supported the import of cars. Jalili promised three days of free vacation to government tourist residences for every citizen per year.

Debates

First round

IRIB exclusively held and broadcast the presidential debates. The questions to be asked in the debates were shared with all candidates beforehand. The IRIB and the Election Office warned candidates against ruining the country's public image. Documentaries will be also produced by IRIB for nominees. The government also banned displaying images of candidates with Ali Khamenei and his predecessor as Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini.

The candidates were asked during the first debate on issues such as inflation, the government's budget deficit, housing and corruption. All candidates pledged to have sanctions against Iran lifted, strengthen the rial and introduce reforms. In the debate, Ghalibaf made several false claims on the economy, regarding energy waste in the country, national GDP and productivity rate. Journalist Vahid Ashtari alleged that Ghalibaf falsely claimed about never having sued any journalist. Ashtari was arrested on 20 June after posting luggage records of Ghalibaf's daughter, who travelled to Turkey. Zakani falsely said that there were no hijab police deployed in the Tehran Metro and that he had not opposed imported COVID-19 vaccines. Pourmohammedi claimed that IRIB TV2’s news program 20:30 censored and manipulated a video he sent them.

During the 20 June debates, while discussing culture Pezeshkian's advisor Mohammed Fazeli threw his microphone and left the debate after getting into an argument with one of the hosts. Economic issues were again discussed during the debate, as well as fuel subsidies and education. In the third debate Hashemi promised to make an area in beaches for women to ride jet skis and do water sports, while Pourmohammedi promised to decriminalise not wearing a hijab and stop violent responses by police and Basij. Jalili criticised media attention to Mahsa Amini's death rather than the deaths of thousands of women in Gaza. Ghalibaf claimed Iran's National Information Network has progressed 75%, which Factnameh said was "unverifiable".

In the fourth debate Pourmohammadi called Jalili a traitor for sabotaging the FATF ratification and Ahmadinejad's Crescent petroleum deal, which Jalili denied and said the Crescent agreement was flawed. Former Ministry of Petroleum Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said "Jalili and his pawn Zakani talk about Crescent in every quiet place" and that Jalili will not come to debate with him as he would "reveal how irreparable much economic damage Jalili has caused" Hashemi criticised Hassan Rouhani and the reformists for warmongering in Afghanistan and praised Ebrahim Raisi for making peace and not letting Israel advance. Pourmohammadi called the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners a "project of difficult times of the government" and that "only People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran members who were fighting against the people were executed."

In the fifth debate Hashemi promised to eliminate twelve months conscription for males. Hashemi denied that Internet censorship in Iran exists, while Pezeshkian defended the 2019 Internet blackout in Iran. Pourmohammadi pledged to bring transparency to the Tehran Stock Exchange. Ghalibaf blamed Debsh government corruption on inequity. During a debate on women, a representative of Jalili blamed women for being assaulted for not wearing a hijab. Jalili himself told an interviewer that they did not understand the “strategic depth” of the hijab laws. IRIB censored Pezeshkian's talk where he supported Mahsa Amini.

Debate list

No	Date and time	Viewership
1	17 June	26-27%
2	20 June
3	21 June
4	24 June
5	25 June

Second round

During a two-hour televised debate on IRIB on 1 July, Pezeshkian criticised Jalili over his lack of managerial experience, his stance on nuclear negotiations and his pledge to achieve an economic growth rate of 8% while in office, adding that authorities should be allowed to “execute" Jalili if his target was not met. Jalili accused Pezeshkian of having no plans to manage the country and instead lead it to a “backward position”. Both candidates pledged to address issues involving the poor, workers, women, ethnic groups and religious minorities, as well as improve internet services. They also called for an investigation into the low turnout in the first round. Pezeshkian called a situation in Iran a deadlock and said that no government will grow in a cage. He again criticised Jalili for his shadow state.

During the final debate on 2 July, Pezeshkian pledged to revive a nuclear agreement with foreign powers, while Jalili called on the US to honor its commitments on par “with the commitments we fulfilled.” Both candidates pledged to improve the economy, provide energy subsidies to the poor and facilitate the importation of cars while supporting domestic automobile makers. Jalili made several misleading claims over the economy that sought to criticise the Rouhani administration and praise that of Raisi's.

Criticism

United Against Nuclear Iran reported that IRGC Baqiatallah HQ is engineering the election. The Guardian Council denied allegations that they had rigged the election. Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi, the Sunni Friday Imam of Sistan and Baluchistan, criticized the system for not allowing women and religious minority candidates and closing down Sunni mosques and questioned the presidency's powers. Four Sunni clerics were arrested in Urmia for criticizing the election. Overseas monarchist opposition figures and groups such as Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, and the re-formed Iran-Novin Party called the election a circus. The National Front boycotted the election.

Although it is criminalised, the Iranian Complainant Mothers, the daughter of former president Akbar Rafsanjani, Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, imprisoned activist Abolfazl Ghadyani, house-arrested former prime minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard and the Coalition for a Secular Democratic Republic in Iran have called for the boycotting of the election. The hashtag #ElectionCircus became prominent topics among Iranians on social media, as well as the hashtag "traitorous minority", referring to calls against voting for either Pezeshkian or Jalili in the second round and calling anyone who does so a "traitor".

In the first round, a majority of voters abstained from voting, resulting in a turnout of 39.93%, the lowest in the history of the Islamic Republic.

Opinion polling and forecasts

Date	Pollster	Sample size	Margin of error	Jalili	Ghalibaf	Pezeshkian	Hashemi (Withdrew in favor of Jalili, Ghalibaf and Zakani)	Zakani (Withdrew in favor of Jalili and Ghalibaf)	Pourmohammadi	Haven't decided	Lead
4 July	Islamic Consultative Assembly			44.2%		53.7%					9.5%
3 July	Iranian Students News Agency		±2%	43.9%		49.5%					5.6%
26 June	Tehran University		3.5%	26.8%	23.3%	32.9%	3.6%	1.7%	1.6%	7.7%	6.1%
26 June	Iranian Students Polling Agency	3589		28.8%	19.1%	33.1%	2.8%	2.1%	1.4%	10.5%	4.3%
22–24 June	Mellat Opinion Poll Institute (Islamic Consultative Assembly)	1100		16.3%	16.9%	23.5%	3.2%	1.2%	0.5%	38.4%	6.6%
22–23 June	Shenaakht	1000		20%	19%	28%	3%	1%	1%	28%	8%
22–23 June	Imam Sadeq University	1500		21.5%	23.4%	24.4%	4.5%	2.4%	2%	21.8%	1%
22–23 June	Iranian Students Polling Agency	4057		24%	14.7%	24.4%	2%	1.7%	0.7%	30.6%	0.4%
18–20 June	IRIB			22.5%	19.5%	19.4%	2.7%	2.2%	0.9%	28.4%	3%
18–20 June	Mellat Opinion Poll Institute (Islamic Consultative Assembly)	850		18.2%	20.7%	18.9%	4.6%	2%	1.8%	33.8%	1.8%
18–19 June	Iranian Students Polling Agency	4545		26.2%	19%	19.8%	2.6%	2%	0.9%	27.4%	6.4%
18–19 June	Imam Sadeq University			23.5%	29.3%	30%	2.7%	1.2%	1.1%	12.4%	0.7%
11–13 June	Research Center for Culture, Art and Communication			36.7%	30.4%	28.3%	1.4%	1.7%	1.4%	62%	6.3%
30 May	Beginning of registration

The Iranian Students Polling Agency predicted a turnout of 44.4%. According to a poll conducted between 26 and 29 May 2024 by the Majlis Research Center, the voter turnout is predicted to be over 53%. At the other end of the spectrum, polling conducted by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance predicted just 30% participation in Tehran. The Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran warned people against sharing posts with fake polls, declaring it a crime.

On 25 June, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for "high participation" in the election, calling it "the pride of the Islamic republic". He also warned against supporting candidates who believe that "all ways to progress" come from the United States. Abbas Abdi, one of Iran's most influential reformist figures, predicted a maximum turnout of 60%, and a minimum of 55%. The IRGC's Telegram channel started a poll in which Pezeshkian won 60% of the votes.

Conduct

Voting was held in nearly 60,000 voting stations and 90,000 "voting points" nationwide, while more than 300 voting stations were set up overseas. Polling in the first round was initially expected to run from 08:00 to 18:00, but was extended at the last minute by the Interior Ministry to 20:00. Polling was also extended until midnight on the second round of voting.

File:Pezeshkian election 5063848.jpg

Pezeshkian voting in election

Incidents

A video was posted during the campaign of a pro-Pezeshkian lawyer in Tabriz being beaten up in a desert by security forces. The Ministry of Justice opened an investigation. Two members of the security forces were killed in a gun attack on a vehicle carrying election boxes in Sistan and Baluchistan.

Iran's Internet Minister claimed that the country's fiber optic network was sabotaged on 28 June. The interior ministry said it had arrested members of "Project 1000 Squares" which had planned to celebrate the election win of an undisclosed candidate.

Results

Official results showed Pezeshkian and Jalili heading into a run-off scheduled on 5 July. Turnout in the first round was at 40 percent, the lowest for a presidential election in Iran since 1979, while a total of 1,056,159 ballots were deemed as spoiled. The election also saw the first presidential run-off vote in Iran since 2005.

Provincial data

Vote composition of Iranian provinces along with participation rates

Province	Masoud Pezeshkian (Votes)	Saeed Jalili (Votes)	Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (Votes)	Mostafa Pourmohammadi (Votes)	Total Votes	Participation Rate (%)
Azarbaijan, East	1,067,088	244,076	57,432	7,276	1,402,108	44.11
Azarbaijan, West	806,620	145,619	58,011	4,960	1,010,210	40
Ardabil	382,647	72,878	36,377	2,676	504,602	48.5
Isfahan	428,098	868,431	139,979	16,524	1,454,032	41
Alborz	298,664	271,695	97,182	741	674,148	40.13
Ilam	119,843	44,706	30,852	1,704	208,187	47
Bushehr	144,138	167,217	40,850	2,618	374,345	46.5
Tehran	1,492,164	1,165,518	673,000	35,582	3,366,264	33
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari	123,046	118,523	28,231	2,464	282,264	40
Khorasan, South	102,354	225,825	48,776	2,319	391,329	64
Khorasan, Razavi	661,493	1,212,033	429,458	19,330	2,415,696	49.39
Khorasan, North	115,697	115,672	57,638	1,026	320,407	45
Khuzestan	433,699	524,084	175,732	12,529	1,146,044	29.6
Zanjan	195,165	132,409	48,479	1,026	392,000	46.2
Semnan	73,287	137,081	34,759	2,302	262,284	49.2
Sistan and Baluchestan	443,226	199,976	87,788	4,368	735,358	40
Fars	532,947	634,294	132,848	10,292	1,310,381	36
Qazvin	156,853	166,852	51,811	3,358	395,753	42.8
Qom	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	57
Kordestan	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
Kerman	329,470	477,589	215,892	8,513	1,070,286	46
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad	123,240	102,112	55,348	1,518	288,937	49.3
Golestan	275,366	205,974	81,095	5,023	591,201	41.16
Gilan	317,248	216,339	90,019	6,759	656,936	32.6
Lorestan	234,721	191,510	100,967	4,395	540,000	36
Mazandaran	406,485	448,308	132,151	9,629	1,043,570	42.3
Markazi	136,282	233,645	61,359	4,355	457,074	39.9
Hormozgan	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
Hamedan	199,466	266,875	76,583	5,283	572,842	39
Yazd	165,696	213513	35,680	3,829	436,722	58.18

Reactions

Domestic

Khamenei downplayed the low turnout, saying that it did not indicate opposition to the political system, but ordered an investigation into its causes. Former minister Ata'ollah Mohajerani criticised the administration of President Mokhber for failing to fulfill its mandate and campaigning instead for Jalili. Mokhber has denied this. The newspaper Kayhan published an editorial saying that the government will not give in to blackmail by election boycotters. The reformist newspapers Sazandegi and Hammihan urged voters to participate in the election through their editorials.

Former MP Mahmoud Sadeghi said that the Islamic Development Organization paid clerics to campaign for Jalili. Commanding general of the IRGC, Hossein Salami called the election "today's jihad". The Alliance for Democracy and Freedom in Iran's Hamed Esmaeilioun, Reza Pahlavi and Masih Alinjead hailed the low turnout as a victory against the regime.

International

• China: President Xi Jinping congratulated Pezeshkian on the election.
• Russia: President Vladimir Putin congratulated Pezeshkian and expressed hope that his tenure will reinforce bilateral ties.
• Saudi Arabia: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman both congratulated Pezeshkian, with the King hoping that his election leads to "deepening" ties.

See also

• 2024 Iranian Assembly of Experts election
• 2024 Iranian legislative election

External links

• Official website
• http://esetad.ir/
• Dr Masoud Pezeshkian
• Jebhe Paydari (Jalili's party) , Jalily's X account
• Office of the president