Iran's snap presidential election is set for a second round on Friday as a reformist and conservative hardliner vie to succeed Ebrahim Raisi amidst a backdrop of unprecedented voter apathy.
Following the initial round where none of the four candidates garnered over 50% of the vote on June 28, reformist lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian and ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili emerged as the top two contenders, with Pezeshkian holding a 3.9 percentage point lead.
The first round witnessed the lowest voter turnout for a presidential election in Iran since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, underscoring the disillusionment among the populace towards the ruling clerical establishment.
Pezeshkian and Jalili represent opposing ends of the Iranian political spectrum. The outcome of the election could steer Iran in vastly different directions at a critical juncture when the country is grappling with intricate domestic and international challenges, including a struggling economy, a restless youth demographic, and escalating tensions with Israel and the United States.
