TEHRAN- Iran's Minister of Interior has stated that the country's recent presidential election was held according to principles of impartiality and integrity.

Ahmad Vahidi made the remarks on Sunday while presenting a report on the election process at a ceremony officially endorsing Masoud Pezeshkian as president.

The official highlighted the Ministry's commitment to holding the election within 35 days following the sudden passing of the late Ebrahim Raisi in May, describing it as a heavy responsibility but a source of pride for the Islamic Republic. 

 “Following the passing of the former president, a comprehensive plan for the election was developed through meetings of the heads of the branches of government. An election headquarters, committees, and 1,300 executive boards were established both domestically and internationally. Eighty individuals initially registered for the election with the Ministry of Interior, but the Guardian Council ultimately approved only six candidates,” Vahidi explained. 

“The elections were held in two rounds on June 28 and July 5 at over 58,000 polling stations, with 600,000 individuals overseeing the ballot boxes. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also provided necessary coordination to facilitate voting for Iranians abroad, with elections held in 98 countries,” he added.

Elsewhere in his comments, the minister underscored the principles of impartiality and non-partisan engagement as crucial elements of the Ministry's work in securing the fourteenth election.

Pezeshkian won the presidential election with 16,384,403 votes, securing victory in the second round with a voter turnout of 49.68%. He is a former health minister and a five-time member of the Iranian parliament, serving as an MP from 2005 to 2024.

Pezeshkian will be succeeding the late President Raisi, who lost his life during a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran on May 19. 

With his official decree from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei now issued, Pezeshikian will be heading to the Iranian parliament on Tuesday for endorsement from his former colleagues.