Saudi Crown Prince Wants To Strengthen Relations With Iran After The Elect Of Pezeshkian

Iran's new President Masoud Pezeshkian/PHOTO via X @drpezeshkian

JAKARTA - Saudi Arabia's king and crown prince congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian on his election as president of Iran.

"I affirm my desire to develop and deepen ties between our country and the people and serve the common interest," the Saudi Crown Prince said.

In March 2023, Iran and Saudi Arabia signed an important Chinese-brokered deal to rebuild relations after years of regional competition.

Since then, officials from both sides have continued to hold talks to improve relations.

Iran Press TV news agency reported on Saturday, July 6, Masoud Pezeshkian defeated his hardline rivals in an important vote at a time of tension at home and abroad.

Of the 30.5 million votes calculated in the second round of Friday, July 5, Pezeshkian won more than 16.3 million votes, beating his ultraconservative rival Saeed Jalili, who won more than 13.5 million votes, according to Press TV.

The voter participation rate reached 49.8 percent of Press TV reports, citing the election headquarters under the auspices of the interior ministry.

Pezeshkian was elected in the second round of votes after gaining the highest number of votes in the first round, ahead of Jalili. The first round showed the lowest voter participation rate in presidential elections since the Islamic Republic was founded in 1979.

He will take over leadership in a country that is facing increasing international isolation, internal dissatisfaction, increasing economic growth and possible direct conflict with arch-enemy Israel.

The rapid election that brought Pezeshkian to power was held after President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May in the northwestern region of remote Iran, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials.

The lawmaker is the only competing reformist candidate to get the top-selected seat in the country after dozens of other candidates were banned from running.

He prefers dialogue with Iranian enemies, particularly regarding his nuclear program, and sees it as a way to solve the country's domestic problems.

"The main problem is the perspective, do we want to solve our problems with the world or not? I believe we have to get out of the deadlock to solve the country's problems," he said at a recent presidential debate.

Although the president has a number of powers in Iran, the highest authority is in the hands of the Supreme Leader, who has a final decision in all state affairs.