Iran Holds Presidential Run-Off Election
The Facts
Iranians on Friday voted in a run-off election to decide the successor to the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last month, after no candidate won a majority in the first round of voting a week ago.
Up for election are Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator considered to represent the establishment, and Masoud Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon and reformist MP who reportedly called for a more moderate foreign policy and easing some of Iran's social restrictions.
The Spin
Anti-Iran narrative
Most Iranians boycotted the first round of voting, and a similarly low turnout is expected from the angry electorate in the run-off. Khamenei may have been quite successful in feeding the illusion of competition between the ultra-conservative Jalili and the alleged moderate "reformist" Pezeshkian abroad, but Iranians know that both are loyal to the theocratic system. After all, power in Iran is completely controlled by the supreme leader, and the people no longer believe in the regime's ability to reform.
Pro-Iran narrative
It's remarkable that the West, with its politically disillusioned people, dares to criticize the low voter turnout in Iran's first round of elections. Moreover, contrary to claims of anti-Iranian propaganda, there are early signs of a higher turnout in the run-off vote, with Iranians well aware of the foreign forces responsible for their difficult economic situation. Both candidates and the nation are united in their patriotism and will never allow Iran's enemies to determine the country's future.
