Iran holds presidential election between reformist Pezeshkian and hardliner Jalili

As votes continue to be counted in Iran's presidential election on Saturday, the only reform candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, is making an unexpectedly strong impression. Closely followed by hardliner and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

The two are heading into a run-off presidential election on Friday to replace the late, hardline President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.

Mohsen Eslami, an election spokesman, announced that 24.5 million votes had been cast, with Pezeshkian receiving 10.4 million and Jalili 9.4 million, The Associated Press reported. Iranian law requires a winner to receive more than 50 percent of all votes cast. If not, the race's top two candidates advance to a runoff a week later.

Pezeshkian has stated that he wants to free Iran from international sanctions and improve relations with the West.

This made him the logical choice for Nima Saranghi, who works in marketing.

“I decided to vote for a better future for our country,” he told CBS News. “Maybe [Pezeshkian and his team] can work together and solve the problems with the West.”

That includes trying to revive the nuclear deal that was unilaterally terminated by former President Donald Trump in 2018.

Pezeshkian ultimately received the most votes, although Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke out earlier in the week and said that people who advocate better ties with the West were not fit to lead.

“Some politicians in our country believe that they have to bow to this or that power, and it is impossible to make progress without clinging to famous countries and powers,” he said. “Some people think that way. Or they think that all roads to progress go through America. No. Such people cannot run the country well.”

Iranians who voted for reform also want more secular freedoms, but a conservative part of the population is stubbornly against this.

Saana Hodaverdian cast her vote for a candidate who – above all – stands for a strict Islamic state.

“I just want someone who can support my religious beliefs and at the same time pursue industrial and economic priorities,” she said.

All Iranians agree that the country's economy is weak and that life is a grind. They disagree on the solution.

Conservatives believe that opening up to Europe and America risks undermining the Islamic values ​​of the revolution. They cling to a belief in so-called self-sufficiency, a policy largely created in Iran, with help from allies such as China and Russia.

Iran is a divided country – led by a Supreme Leader whose values ​​are shared only by conservatives.

Take the controversial issue of women's clothing. Islamic purists wear the all-black chador overalls and a headdress that prevents any hair from showing at all.

That look is completely rejected by reformist women who cover their bare arms and legs with Western clothing and drape loose headscarves over their hair.

In 2022, large street protests broke out over the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for inadequate Islamic dress.

Although the demonstrations were suppressed by a violent crackdown by the authorities, many women continued to protest, even refusing to wear a headscarf, even at the risk of arrest.

Saturday polarized vote in the first round reflects Iran’s Tragic Divide Whoever wins the presidency in next week’s runoff will face an uphill battle to craft policies that are acceptable to both sides.