A second round will be held in the presidential elections in Iran after the death of Ebrahim Raisi, bTV reported. The reformer Masoud Pezeshkian and the hardliner Said Jalili will face each other.
Surprisingly, in the first round, Pezeshkian narrowly defeated Jalili, but failed to secure more than 50% of the vote.
69-year-old Pezeshkian is a heart surgeon, lawmaker and former minister of health. He supports women's rights, more social freedoms, a cautious easing of strained relations with Europe and the US, and economic reform.
Although he advocates reform, Pezeshkian is loyal to Iran's theocratic rule, with no intention of confronting powerful security hawks and clerical rulers.
As a result, many voters are skeptical about Pezeshkian's ability to deliver on his campaign promises.