TEHRAN – Iranians are set to return to the polls on Friday as none of the Presidential candidates secured the 50 percent plus one vote required for a clear victory on June 28.

Snap elections were called after President Ebrahim Raisi who took office in August of 2021 lost his life during a helicopter crash on May 19.

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian won the first round of the presidential elections with 42.5 percent of the vote. He will be competing with conservative Saeed Jalili who came second after getting 38.6 percent. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Mostafa Pourmoahmmadi ranked third and fourth in the presidential race. 

Voter turnout saw a 10 percent decrease from the 2021 presidential elections, standing at 40 percent. Pundits have attributed the lower turnout to a lack of enthusiasm among the reformist faction’s traditional voters, many of whom are still disillusioned by the perceived shortcomings of President Hassan Rouhani's second term in office. 

Masoud Pezeshkian, who garnered over 10 million votes, appears to have benefited from significant support within the conservative camp, particularly from those who resonated with his more moderate stance on cultural issues.

Conservatives finally push for unity

After the announcement of the results, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf who gained 3.4 million votes put his weight behind Jalili. 

“The path is not finished yet and despite personally respecting Dr. Pezeshkian, due to my concerns about some of the people around him, I am calling on all revolutionary forces and my backers to help prevent the return to power of the movement that caused an important part of our economic and political problems today,” he said in a statement released on Saturday. 

Qalibaf also expressed satisfaction with his participation in the election, claiming that his candidacy provided a valuable opportunity for the conservative faction to gain momentum in a potential second round of voting.

Other conservative candidates who dropped out of the race before voting began also backed Jalili. The current head of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Amir-Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi said it is a duty of the Revolutionary Front, a term used by conservatives throughout their campaigns, to rally behind Jalili. 

A member of Alireza Zakani’s team also announced the Tehran Mayor’s support for Jalili by declaring that Zakani’s campaigning centers across the country “will work with full capability and capacity for the victory of the candidate of the revolution front.”

Analysts had previously warned the four conservative candidates that they risk losing to the sole reformist hopeful if they failed to back one figure unanimously.   

The campaign for Iran’s presidential elections is set to enter its second round on Sunday. This marks only the second time in the country's history that a presidential election has gone to a run-off. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has yet to confirm whether the two remaining candidates will participate in televised interviews or further debates.

Analysts believe that Pezeshkian, despite his success in the first round, faces a formidable challenge in the second round as winning over traditional reformist voters, will be crucial for his ultimate victory.

By Mona Hojat Ansari