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Iran Presidential Election Heads to July 5 Run-Off Between Pezeshkian and Jalili

Jun 29, 2024, 08:32 AM

Iran's presidential election is set for a run-off on July 5 after no candidate secured the required 50% of votes in the first round. The top contenders, reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and conservative Saeed Jalili, are neck-and-neck in the vote count. Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator and loyalist to Iran's supreme leader, has garnered over 4.26 million votes, while Pezeshkian, a low-profile moderate lawmaker, has received about 4.24 million votes. The election, a snap presidential election, has been marked by growing public frustration, Western pressure, and voter apathy over economic hardships and social restrictions, with a record low turnout. This run-off will be the second in Iran's history.