TEHRAN – The July 5 runoff presidential elections in Iran, which saw reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian emerge victorious over conservative Saeed Jalili, has sparked debate about the future direction of the country. Political observers are now analyzing the potential composition of Pezeshkian's administration and its impact on Iran's domestic and foreign policies.

Parviz Amini, a university professor and prominent political expert, believes that Pezeshkian's government will likely be dominated by moderate factions. Amini, in an interview with Farhikhtegan Newspaper, pointed out that Pezeshkian's campaign lacked concrete details about his governing strategy. "The performance of his administration will heavily depend on his cabinet appointments," Amini stated. "There are various factions within the reformist movement, and the individuals chosen for economic, cultural, and foreign policy positions will significantly shape his presidency,” he said, adding that he believes moderate politicians will play a central role in Pezeshkian's administration.

Pezeshkian was often accompanied by prominent reformist figures during his presidential campaign including former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zari and former finance minister Ali Tayebnia.

On the 10 percent increase in turnout rates during the second round of the presidential elections, Amini suggested that the two presidential debates held in the week leading up to the runoff played a significant role in boosting voter participation.

“The debates provided a platform for both candidates to present their visions and appeal to different segments of the electorate. Jalili attempted to sway voters away from Pezeshkian by portraying his potential administration as a continuation of President Hassan Rouhani's two terms, which some viewed as a period of stagnation. Conversely, Pezeshkian aimed to attract Jalili's supporters by emphasizing Jalili’s perceived conservative approach to cultural and social issues,” the expert explained

Pezeshkian is to succeed the late President Ebrahim Raisi after winning over 53.7% of the vote. Over 16.3 million people voted for the candidate rallied by reformists.