New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Heart surgeon Mahmoud Pezeshkian was on Saturday declared Iran’s next President, convincingly defeating former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in the run-off by nearly 3 million votes to become the second non-cleric holder of the post.

While it can be seen simply as the reformist prevailing over the hardliner, the implications are deeper – and revealing about Iran’s political dynamics.

Let’s begin with the figures.

In the first round on June 28, Pezeshkian led with 10.41 million votes, while Jalili was not far behind with 9.47 million, out of the 24.5 million votes cast, or just about 40 per cent of the 61 million-odd electorate.

Prepoll favourite – Majles Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf – was a distant third with 3.38 million votes, while sole cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi got only 206,397 votes.

As the poll went into a run-off, Qalibaf, as well as two other conservative candidates who had withdrawn before the polls, called on their supporters to back Jalili.

The combined votes of Jalili and Qalibaf would have been enough to propel the former to victory – provided that the turnout had remained constant or not gone up significantly.

However, in the run-off on Friday, the polling percentage rose to around 50 per cent, as Pezeshkian secured 16.3 million votes (55.3 per cent) to Jalili’s 13.5 million (44.3 per cent).

While it seems that Pezeshkian’s relatively strong showing in the first round and promises of looser social curbs and negotiations to relieve sanctions convinced some of the 60 per cent of the absent voters to shed their apathy and come out to cast their ballot, it is also likely that the conservatives too mobilised more of their supporters.

The upshot is that all the votes that Qalibaf had garnered did not seamlessly transition to Jalili’s account. While after the first round, several of his supporters, including his poll campaign manager, had openly declared that they would support Pezeshkian in the run-off, it seems the sentiment went in much deeper in his core support base.

Qualitatively too, the result offers some compelling insights.

Pezeshkian’s vote base was not only the young and disenchanted voters or the country’s ethnic minorities – given he is an Azeri himself – but some senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials and high-ranking clerics too had come out in his support, apart from notable reformists like former Presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hasan Rouhani.

Former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was a mainstay of his election campaign.

On the other hand, Jalili, despite his close links to the Supreme Leader and the IRGC, was, by no means, the unanimous choice of the establishment.

Though Pourmohammadi, who was the real sensation of the election with his liberal stance on most issues and the acknowledgment of the concerns and aspirations of the absent voters, did not endorse anyone explicitly, his criticism of Jalili’s past actions on FATF recommendations indicated where his preference lay.

What this seems to suggest is that despite appearances and (chiefly Western) perceptions, neither is the Iranian establishment a monolith structure, nor is Iranian politics limited to just two opposing distinct and united reformist or conservative camps, but is a more fluid system due to many different sub-groups with their own agendas and aspirations.

This is true of the clerical establishment as well as the all-powerful (IRGC) – widely perceived as a state within the state.

And then, Pezeshkian’s victory – on his second bid (he was not allowed to run in 2021) – restored the cyclical reformist-moderate/conservative-hardliner trend in Iranian politics, dating back to the 1989 Constitution.

He has also become the second layman President after populist conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-13), who also came to power after winning the run-off in 2005.

The future course of Pezeshkian is scarcely enviable. He will soon make good on his promises to the people on social justice and rights – especially, curbing the Morality Police, ending the economic malaise and high inflation, and on the other hand, move to negotiate the end – or at least, a moderation – of sanctions.

All this entails challenging domestic and foreign dimensions. At home, he will have to strike a balance between public expectations and the establishment’s requirement to avoid disturbing the status quo.

On the external front, he will have to deal with the ongoing Gaza crisis and the outcome of the US elections later this year – with the prospect of the return of Donald Trump who had pulled the plug on the nuclear deal, adding to the headache.

The rest of the West also does not seem very receptive, given that there haven’t been congratulatory messages from Europe, unlike the Russian, Arab, Chinese, Indian, and Pakistani leaders.

Winning the election was less onerous, it seems.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

–IANS

vd/arm

Srinagar, July 6 (IANS) A second encounter is underway between the security forces and the terrorists which broke out in J&K’s Kulgam district on Saturday.

An official said that a joint team of police and the army started a Cordon & Search Operation (CASO) in Chanigam village of the Frisal area in the Kulgam district.

“As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired at the security forces triggering an encounter which is now going on,” he said.

Earlier, an encounter broke out between the security forces and the terrorists in Mudergam village in Kulgam during which an army soldier was killed.

The two villages, Mudergam and Chanigam, are 12 kms away from each other.

–IANS

sq/dan

Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) After its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has decided to increase its presence across Maharashtra by stepping up its outreach with people from all sections of the society in the run-up to the Assembly elections slated for September-October this year.

As a part of its poll strategy, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare held two-day marathon meetings with the party’s different cells and asked them to strengthen the organisation by connecting with all sections and bringing them into the party fold.

Tatkare, who was the party nominee elected from Raigad constituency, also asked the cadres and office bearers to focus on aggressively carrying out membership drives both for the parent organisation and also for the youth, women and other cells.

He said that the budget presented by deputy chief minister (DCM) and finance minister Ajit Pawar is a relief to the common people. “DCM has announced many welfare schemes in the budget. During the meeting, we decided to take the schemes and reach out to the last person in society,” he added.

He also instructed the office bearers to ensure that the various public welfare schemes of the MahaYuti government reach the common people.

Meanwhile, Tatkare launched ‘Ajit Yuva Yodha’ membership registration campaign’s online website on behalf of the Nationalist Youth Congress.

On behalf of the Student Cell, a ‘State Level Study Festival’ initiative was launched for students across the state on the occasion of Ajit Pawar’s birthday. Along with this, a campaign called ‘Branch at Every College’ will be conducted on the occasion of Sunil Tatkare’s birthday. The initiative of the College Student Help Desk and the launch of the ‘Join NSC’ campaign also took place on the occasion.

–IANS

sj/bg

Thiruvananthapuram, July 7 (IANS) Without taking name, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday hit out at Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram over the latter’s comments that the three new criminal laws were drafted in the Parliament by ‘part-timers’, as he termed the Congress veteran’s remarks as an ‘inexcusable insult’ to the wisdom of the Parliament.

The new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, with effect from July 1, 2024.

Taking strong exception to the ‘part-times’ jibe by the Congress MP, the Vice-President said that he was shocked beyond words to see such ‘irresponsible and wild’ remarks that part-timers have drafted the ‘new criminal laws’.

Chidambaram, who served as the Finance Minister in UPA I and UPA II regimes, said in an interview with The Indian Express that the three criminal laws which came into force from July 1 were drafted by ‘non-professional people’, who were ‘part-time members of a committee’.

“Are we part-timers in Parliament? This is an inexcusable insult to the wisdom of the Parliament! I do not have words strong enough to condemn such kind of narrative being set afloat,” Jagdeep Dhankar said.

Addressing the 12th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, the Vice-President told the audience that when he opened the newspapers this morning, he was shocked to see such a statement by an informed mind who has also been the Finance Minister of the country.

Vice-President Dhankar, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, urged the audience to ‘be on guard’ over a deliberate narrative being floated by certain elements to ‘run down our nation, demean our institutions and also taint our progress’.

“When informed minds knowingly lead you astray, we need to be on guard,” he told the audience.

“With a heavy heart, I am sharing with you that the gentleman gave total rest to his vocal chords while the debate was going on in the Parliament on Nyaya Vidhan,” he added.

Making an appeal to the Congress MP, he said, “Please withdraw these derogatory, defamatory, and highly insulting observations to the Members of the Parliament. I hope he does it.”

–IANS

mr/arm

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said India is well-positioned to be a key player in the global space sector in the coming years with its robust space programme and a growing pool of skilled professionals.

He said this while addressing the 12th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

The Vice President said that ambitious missions, groundbreaking discoveries, and steadfast commitment to scientific advancement define India’s journey in space exploration.

“In the field of space, our recent accomplishments have earned global accolades. In the year 2023, all seven launches of ISRO including Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya L-1, were successful,” VP Dhankhar said.

“A total of 5 Indian satellites, 46 foreign satellites, and 8 rocket bodies (including POEM-2) were placed in their intended orbits. All this just in one year,” he added.

He credited the achievements to the efforts of scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and said they “underscore India’s technical prowess and determination to explore the uncharted territories of space”.

“It is because of ISRO only, that Bharat can proudly boast of being the world’s first country to successfully land Chandrayaan 3 on the south pole of Moon,” he said.

“ISRO has etched Shiv Shakti point (the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon) and Tricolour (the lunar surface where Chandrayaan-2 left its footprints) on the Moon. The moment will ever be etched in history and deeply embedded in our proud pleasant thoughts,” the VP said.

Further, he also mentioned India’s successful launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), with which India became the first Asian country “to reach Martian orbit and the first in the world to do so in its maiden attempt”.

The VP noted that with each space mission — be it India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, or upcoming ambitious human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan — India has been “propelled onto the global stage of space exploration”.

Speaking of the future, VP Dhankhar said that “the coming decades will witness an unprecedented surge in space exploration. India, with its robust space programme and a growing pool of skilled professionals, is well-positioned to be a key player in this exciting journey”.

–IANS

rvt/svn