Iran will conduct a runoff presidential election this Friday to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi after no candidate secured a clear majority in the initial vote.

Candidates and Results

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian will face hard-liner Saeed Jalili in the runoff. Election spokesman Mohsen Eslami announced that Pezeshkian received 10.4 million votes, Jalili got 9.4 million, Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf obtained 3.3 million, and Shiite cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi garnered over 206,000 votes out of 24.5 million cast.

Runoff Requirements

Iranian law requires a candidate to win more than 50% of the votes. Without a majority winner, the top two candidates proceed to a runoff. This is Iran’s second runoff presidential election, the first occurring in 2005 when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defeated Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The Guardian Council must formally approve the results, though no challenges have been reported.

Election Context

Women and advocates for radical change have been barred from running since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the election lacks international oversight. Calls for a boycott came from imprisoned Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi and Green Movement leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, who, along with his wife, has refused to vote. Critics view Pezeshkian as another government-approved candidate, with public discontent echoing sentiments from the 1979 revolution.

Raisi’s Legacy and Regional Issues

President Raisi, who died in a May 19 helicopter crash, was a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a potential successor. He is remembered for his role in the 1988 mass executions and crackdowns following protests over Mahsa Amini’s death. The election occurs amid rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Security Incident

Despite unrest, only one election-related attack was reported. Gunmen targeted a van transporting ballot boxes in Sistan and Baluchestan, killing two police officers and injuring others. This province often experiences violence involving the militant group Jaish al-Adl and drug traffickers.