Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian elected Iran president: How it will impact Tehran's ties with India

NEW DELHI: Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's only reformist candidate in the latest presidential election, has risen from relative obscurity to become the ninth president of the Islamic republic. The 69-year-old won around 53.6% of the vote in a runoff election against the ultraconservative Saeed Jalili.
Pezeshkian's victory has raised the hopes of Iran's reformists after years of dominance by the conservative and ultraconservative camps, but his ascension is unlikely to significantly impact Tehran's bilateral ties with New Delhi in the near term.

Shortly after Iran's announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Pezeshkian.
"Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region," PM Modi said in a post on X.

While Pezeshkian has pledged to open Iran to the world and deliver more freedoms, he has also recognised Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the ultimate authority on state matters.
Pezeshkian's moderate stance and advocacy for limited reforms may lead to some changes in Iran's domestic policies, such as relaxing enforcement of the compulsory headscarf law. However, his ability to enact major shifts in Iran's foreign policy is constrained by the fact that the government remains largely controlled by hard-liners.
That said, Pezeshkian's victory could signal a gradual shift towards more moderate voices in Iran's political landscape. If this trend continues, it may create opportunities for India to engage with Iran on a wider range of issues in the future as western nations, especially the US, may consider rolling back some sanctions.
As one of India's key sources of crude oil, Iran may also look to increase oil exports to India, potentially offering more favorable terms amid ongoing Western sanctions

India and Iran have maintained relatively stable ties in recent years, with both countries cooperating on issues like the development of the Chabahar port and connectivity projects like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multi-modal transportation route connecting India to Russia via Iran.
Pezeshkian is expected to maintain and deepen India-Iran economic ties, with a particular focus on the strategic Chabahar port project that is important for India's connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia. He is likely to build on the existing cooperation and investments in this project.