Pezeshkian wins Iranian presidential election

Iranian reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has won the presidential run-off held on July 5, spokesman for Iran’s Election Office Mohsen Eslami said.

According to the spokesman, after all the 30.530 mln ballots have been counted, Pezeshkian scored at least 53.6% of the vote, or 16.384 mln votes, to become Iran's ninth president. His conservative opponent Saeed Jalili took 44.3% of the vote, or 13.538 mln votes.

"Pezeshkian pocketed 16,384,403 votes, Jalili had to settle for 13,538,179 votes," Eslami said.

Voter turnout reached 49.8% yesterday. Only 40% of Iran's eligible voters took part in the first round - the lowest turnout in any presidential election since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.