Masoud Pezeshkian’s victory in the second round of Iran’s presidential elections has sparked an outpouring of optimism in the Western media, celebrating him as a ‘reformist’ and ‘moderate.’ Leading publications have described his election as a “glimmer of hope” for the Iranian people, especially women, who might anticipate a relaxation of stringent hijab laws. However, this optimism is fundamentally misplaced. Dr. Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon, was permitted to run for the presidency solely to boost voter turnout, which had plummeted to a dismal 12% in the first round. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei feared that another significant boycott would further erode the already waning legitimacy of his autocratic regime. Pezeshkian, 70, was thus hand-picked to present a ‘moderate’ facade to the electorate. Yet, he will implement no reforms. When asked about his policies, he declared, “Khamenei sets all plans and policies and straying from them is my redline.”
The strategy to field a pretend ‘moderate’ candidate backfired, with voter turnout even lower than in the first round. The Iranian public saw through the charade. Reports from over 2,000 polling stations, monitored by Iranian activists and sources within the regime, indicated a mere 9% participation rate. Predictably, the regime falsely claimed a turnout increase from 40% in the first round to 49% in the second.
The election followed the mysterious death of President Ebrahim Raisi, known as ‘The Butcher of Tehran,’ in a helicopter crash in May. Raisi, a hardliner, was installed by Khamenei to intimidate rebellious youth. His brutal crackdown, including 864 executions last year, failed to quell dissent, leaving Iran on the brink of explosion.
Western media who celebrate Pezeshkian as a reformist should reassess if he cancels mandatory hijab laws, disbands morality police, frees political prisoners, opens Iran’s prisons to international inspections, abolishes the death penalty, and ends inhumane punishments. None of these reforms will occur under the directives of the increasingly erratic 85-year-old Khamenei.
Western appeasers have long deluded themselves into believing that a ‘reformist’ president could transform Iran. This theory overlooks the fact that the Supreme Leader wields ultimate power, rendering the president a mere puppet. During Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, despite being labeled a reformist, Iran continued to support Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Shi’ia militias in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Gaza. Rouhani even orchestrated a 2018 bombing attempt on an Iranian opposition rally in Paris.
The 2022/23 nationwide uprising, sparked by the custodial death of Mahsa Amini, saw protesters chanting “Reformists and hardliners, the game is over.” Yet, the election of Pezeshkian indicates that Western political appeasers and media have not learned. They will likely rush to Tehran, overlook daily hangings, and tens of thousands jailed for protesting, and implore Pezeshkian for reforms, only to be disappointed by continued atrocities.
Anyone doubting the status quo under Pezeshkian should note his recent letter to Hezbollah’s Secretary General, reaffirming Iran’s support for ‘resistance’ against Israel, aligned with the Supreme Leader’s policies.
The Iranian people’s massive boycott of the sham election signals their rejection of the theocratic regime and a desire for a democratic, secular republic. With the U.S. and Canada blacklisting the IRGC, it’s time for the EU and UK to follow suit. Instead of seeking mythical ‘moderates’ to appease, the West should support the Iranian people’s right to overthrow the despotic regime.