NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended his congratulations to the newly elected President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian. In his message, PM Modi expressed his eagerness to work with President Pezeshkian to strengthen and deepen the long-standing relationship between India and Iran.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, Congratulations @drpezeshkian on your election as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region.
Iran is regarded as a significant and strategic ally of India. In May, the two countries signed a pact concerning the Chabahar Port, aimed at countering Pakistan and China. This agreement grants India management rights of the Chabahar Port for the next decade.
Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon, won Iran’s presidential election on Saturday, defeating hard-liner Saeed Jalili with over 53.3% of the vote from more than 30 million ballots counted. The snap election was held following the tragic death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.
Pezeshkian has vowed to advance a pragmatic foreign policy, reduce tensions surrounding the stalled negotiations with major powers to revive the 2015 nuclear pact, and enhance opportunities for social liberalization and political pluralism.
Pezeshkian secured over 16.3 million votes out of the 30.5 million counted in Friday’s runoff, surpassing his ultraconservative rival Saeed Jalili who received more than 13.5 million votes.
The voter turnout, reported at 49.8 percent by the election headquarters under the interior ministry, marked the lowest for a presidential election in Iran since its establishment in 1979.
Pezeshkian emerged victorious in the second round after leading in the first round of voting. He will assume the presidency amidst Iran’s increasing international isolation, internal unrest, a struggling economy, and potential conflicts with Israel.
Snap elections were triggered by the tragic helicopter crash in Iran’s remote northwest in May, which claimed the lives of President Ebrahim Raisi, foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials.
