Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian -- a former health minister -- has won the runoff presidential election in Iran, the country's Election Headquarters Spokesman Mohsen Eslami announced on Saturday.
Pezeshkian secured 16,384,402 of the total 30,573,931 votes in the runoff, Eslami said.
The result will now be subject to approval by Iran's Guardian Council. Afterwards, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will issue a decree to the president-elect who will then take the oath of office before parliament
Born in September 1954, Pezeshkian is a reformist politician who has an extensive background in medicine as a cardiac surgeon and held important positions, including president of Medical Sciences University, Tabriz and the country's health minister. He also served as a representative in the Parliament for many terms.
Iran's 14th presidential election, initially set for 2025, was moved up following the unexpected death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Voters casted ballots on June 28 to choose their next president from among candidates Alireza Zakani, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Masoud Pezeshkian, Saeed Jalili, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi.
As no candidate achieved the required minimum threshold of 50 percent of the votes in the first round, the second round between two frontrunners Pezeshkian and Jalili was held on Friday.
Former health minister wins Iran's presidential runoff
Former health minister wins Iran's presidential runoff
Former health minister wins Iran's presidential runoff
Former health minister wins Iran's presidential runoff
