Modi, PM’s congratulations to newly elected Iran president, Masoud Pezeshkian, were sent out on Saturday. In the statement Modi said that he looks forward to working together with Pezeshkian in order to strengthen and deepen the long-term relations between India and Iran.
On his twitter handle, Prime minister posted
Iran is regarded as a key strategic partner of India. The two countries signed a pact this May concerning Chabahar port which was meant to counter Pakistan as well as China. The agreement gives management authority over the Chabahar port to India for the next decade.
Cardiac surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian won Saturday’s presidential election in Iran, beating Saeed Jalili with over 53.3% of over 30 million votes counted up to now. He garnered more than 53.3% of over 30 million votes counted so far against hard-liner Saeed Jalili who got less than half that number. This happened after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May leading to snap elections.
Pezeshkian pledged to continue a pragmatic foreign policy, reconcile tensions caused by stalled negotiations with world powers aimed at reviving the nuclear deal struck in 2015 and increase space for social liberalization and political pluralism.
In Friday’s runoff, Pezeshkian received more than16.3 million votes from among 30.5 million casted above ultraconservative rival Saeed Jalili who secured more than13.5 million A ballot.
The Ministry of Interior’s electoral headquarters announced that it had registered a turnout of just under forty nine point eight percent which was the lowest ever since presidential elections began taking place in Iran since its establishment in 1979.
With a potential conflict with Israel looming on top of economic travails, internal convulsions and deepening global isolation; he will be inaugurated into office.
The fatal accident where President Ibrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdullahian and other officials died in a helicopter crash in Iran’s remote northwest initiated the snap elections in May.
