Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, formally endorsed Masoud Pezeshkian as the country’s new president on Sunday. Pezeshkian, a moderate, won the recent election with promises of a pragmatic foreign policy and reduced domestic repression. He will be sworn in on Tuesday amidst rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
On Sunday, Iran warned Israel against new military actions in Lebanon after a rocket attack, which Israel attributed to Hezbollah, killed 12 people in the Golan Heights. Hezbollah denied involvement. During the endorsement ceremony, Khamenei reaffirmed Iran’s anti-Israel stance, calling Israel a “criminal gang” and praising Hamas for its resistance.
Despite Pezeshkian’s moderate stance, significant policy changes are unlikely due to Khamenei’s ultimate authority and the influential Revolutionary Guards. Hopes for improved relations with the West and progress on nuclear negotiations have risen with Pezeshkian’s victory, but Khamenei will have the final say on key policies and cabinet appointments. Pezeshkian’s primary economic goal is to alleviate U.S. sanctions, especially those reimposed after the U.S. abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal. He succeeds hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.
Source: Reuters
