TEHRAN: Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s newly elected president, is set to take the oath of office before parliament in early August, marking the Islamic republic’s transition of leadership following recent presidential elections, state media reported on Sunday.
According to the official IRNA news agency, Mojtaba Yosefi, a member of parliament’s presiding board, confirmed the schedule for Pezeshkian’s swearing-in ceremony. The ceremony is slated to be held on either August 4 or 5, marking the formal commencement of Pezeshkian’s presidency.
Following the swearing-in, Pezeshkian will have a 15-day period to nominate his proposed cabinet ministers to parliament for approval through a vote of confidence. This procedural step is integral to forming the new administration under Iran’s political framework.
Iranian presidents-elect are required to receive an official endorsement from the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, before assuming office. Despite being the head of government, the presidency in Iran holds significant influence within the political structure, while ultimate authority remains vested in the supreme leader.
Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old reformist politician, emerged victorious in a runoff election held on Friday, defeating his rival Saeed Jalili. He secured over 16 million votes, representing approximately 54% of the total ballots cast, compared to Jalili’s more than 13 million votes, which constituted around 44%.
The election turnout was reported at 49.8%, a notable increase from the initial round’s turnout, which had set a record low at approximately 40%.
The death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May necessitated the snap presidential election.
Iranian newspapers mostly featured front-page photos of Pezeshkian on Sunday, emphasizing calls for national unity under the president-elect’s leadership.
