• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Masoud Pezeshkian

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran's presidential election, securing 53.3% of the vote and defeating his conservative rival Saeed Jalili, the national election authority announced on 06 July 2024. With all ballots counted, Pezeshkian secured 16.4 million votes, while Jalili received 13.5 million votes, Press TV reports. Turnout was 30.5 million, or 49.8% of the 61 million eligible voters, according to a final update at 6:45 am local time (3:15 GMT). The snap election was called after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province on May 19. According to Iranian law, a candidate needs to garner at least 50% plus one vote; thus, after no candidate achieved this in the first round on June 28, the election headed into a runoff between the top two candidates.

Pezeshkian is known for his moderate and reformist views, often advocating for policies that aim to modernize Iran's healthcare system and improve public welfare. His reformist stance sometimes puts him at odds with more conservative elements within Iranian politics. Before his involvement in politics, Pezeshkian was a practicing physician and a professor. His medical background has influenced his political focus, particularly on health-related policies and reforms.

Massoud Bizikian, the 9th president elected by the people, entered the holy shrine of Imam Khomeini (RA) 06 July 2024 in order to renew the covenant with the ideals of the founder of the Islamic Revolution. After renewing the covenant with the ideals of Imam Rahel (RA), Massoud Mezikian, the 9th president elected by the people, said to his people and supporters: "Brothers and sisters, I thank you all with all my heart. It was really kind of you to attend and create enthusiasm and make us feel ashamed. We are really ashamed of you. He said: I did not make a false promise in this election and I did not say anything that I could not fulfill tomorrow, and then it will be clear that I lied. For many years after the revolution, we have been making promises behind the podium and not fulfilling them. This is the biggest problem people have with us."

The doctor clarified: "Since the month of Muharram is near, I will tell you one of the main reasons for Ashura. One of the main causes of Ashura was that some people promised Imam Hussain to come and when he left, they did not fulfill their promises. Imam Hussain was sitting and they said come, when he came, Imam Hussain (AS) and his 72 forces were left alone and that's how Ashura was created and his blood has been flowing for 1400 years. In the middle of reading the statement, the doctor said to the audience: I think you are tired, I will give the statement to the media and read it from there. In response to the fans' clamor, he said with a laugh: Now that this is the case, shout, what should I do? Yashasin Iran." ["long live Iran" - yashasin is an Azeri word ]

Pezeshkian had deployed former Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif, one of the architects of the nuclear deal, as a campaign surrogate. Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the 11th and 12th governments, in the gathering of the supporters of President- elect Masoud Al-Badzikian in the Holy Shrine of the Imam (RA), said: "Two weeks ago, I announced that we will call Mr. Al-Bidzikian the President of the Al-Badiqian on Saturday." With the efforts of you people and members of the doctor's staff, today we have a medical president. He said: "Mr. Mezkiyan is the president of all Iranian people from today." Dr. Mezikian is the representative of all those who voted for him or his rival and those who did not vote at all to follow their requests and demands. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the 11th and 12th Governments stated: This huge flood of people who started the roaring flood of change will be with the president of the medical profession until it comes to a conclusion, God willing.

Pezeshkian is an Iranian politician and physician who has held various significant positions in the Iranian government. Masoud Bizikian is a reformist politician, the first vice president of the 10th term of the Islamic Council and a representative of the people of Tabriz, Azarshahr and Esku. was born on the 7th of Mehr, 1333 Hijri, in the city of Mahabad, West Azarbaijan province. He completed his primary education in his hometown of Mahabad, West Azarbaijan, and then went to the capital of the province and received a diploma in food industry at Urmia Agricultural Academy.

In 1354, he received his second diploma in the field of natural or experimental sciences. He entered Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1355 and continued his studies in medicine. During the Iran-Iraq war, he was responsible for sending medical teams to the fronts and worked as a fighter and a doctor at the same time.

Masoud Mezikian successfully completed his general medicine course in 1364, and after that he worked and taught as a physiology instructor in the medical school, then in 1369, he succeeded in obtaining his specialty degree in general surgery from the Tabriz Medical Sciences university. In 1372, he received his specialty in heart surgery from Iran University of Medical Sciences.

After finishing his residency at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1379, he came to Tehran and in the years 1379 to 1380 during the ministry of Mohammad Farhadi, he was the deputy health minister of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education in the first cabinet of Seyyed Mohammad Khatami and in the second cabinet of Khatami. He received a vote of confidence from the parliament as the minister of health, treatment and medical education.

He went to the parliament as a people's representative from 2006 and in the eighth term of the Islamic Council until the twelfth term. He was the representative of the same constituency in the 9th and 8th terms as well as the minister of health in the 8th government.

Pezeshkian served as one of the Vice Speakers of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis), where he was involved in legislative activities and parliamentary leadership. He served as the Minister of Health and Medical Education from 2001 to 2005 during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami. In this role, Pezeshkian focused on improving Iran's healthcare system and medical education infrastructure. Pezeshkian has been elected as a member of the Iranian Parliament multiple times, representing the city of Tabriz. His work in the parliament includes advocating for healthcare reforms and various social issues.

At the public meeting of the Majlis on March 7, 2015, the doctor said: He is grateful that God made him a Turk, and no one has the right to make fun of the "language and culture of the Turks". According to Article 15 of the Constitution, Turks and other ethnic groups in Iran must be able to write, speak and learn in their own language in schools. Pezeshkian supports teaching of Azerbaijani language in Iranian schools. During the Mahsa Amini protests in September 2022, Pezeshkian said in an interview, "It is our fault. We want to implement religious faith through the use of force. This is scientifically impossible."

On Saturday, June 12, 1403, Massoud Bizikian registered for the 14th presidential election by attending the Ministry of Interior, and on June 20, his qualification was confirmed by the Guardian Council. Finally, in the second phase of Iran's 1403 presidential election, Hamidian was elected as the elected president of Iran.

The new president takes a more liberal line on the enforcement of the compulsory headscarf in Iran. “If we want to ‘force’ hijab in the country,” he has said, “I don't think we will get anywhere.” After the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, Pezeshkian wrote that it was “unacceptable in the Islamic Republic to arrest a girl for her hijab and then hand over her dead body to her family.” Pezeshkian’s campaign slogan “For Iran” was believed to be a reference to the popular anthem supporting the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests called “Baraye”, or “For.” Shervin Hajipour, the Grammy Awarding-winning Iranian singer-songwriter behind “Baraye,” was sentenced to more than three years in prison in March for “propaganda against the system” and “encouraging people to protest.” Pezeshkian spoke to Sputnik on the eve of the election about the main priorities of Iran’s foreign policy, which include: strengthening relations with Russia and China; Iran’s active presence in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; restoration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the lifting of sanctions. "Russia is a friend and partner of Iran, and I consider it a priority to deepen and expand relations with Russia and China, as well as intensify foreign policy activities in the Asian direction in general," Pezeshkian said. "And we, of course, at all levels – bilateral, regional and international – will continue our efforts to expand interaction with the Russian Federation."

According to him, Iran "opposes the policy of unidirectionality" and supports "the principle of multipolarity." "One of the priorities of my foreign policy program is regional cooperation, and for this purpose, Iran will expand its presence in BRICS and the SCO, as well as strive for more active cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union to more fully realize the potential of trade and economic relations with the member countries of these organizations," Pezeshkian explained.

Regarding the JCPOA, Pezeshkian pointed out that it is "an international agreement approved by the UN," and that the United States' unilateral withdrawal from this agreement "caused serious damage to Iran and the Iranian people." "As the Russian side has repeatedly emphasized, Iran has fulfilled its obligations, and we see our task as returning the other participants to this agreement as soon as possible and achieving the lifting of sanctions. I am confident that the friendly governments of Russia and China will support Iran and assist it in resolving this issue,” he added.