By bne Tehran bureau
Masoud Pezeshkian, the only Iranian presidential candidate from the reformist political faction, made liberal remarks on June 16 after his initial positions failed to attract voters opposed to the basic principles of the Islamic Republic.
Iran is holding snap presidential elections on June 28, following the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19.
The Guardian Council, responsible for supervising elections and qualifying candidates, approved six nominees, with five belonging to hardline political parties grouped under the fundamentalist faction. Pezeshkian, the sole representative of the opposing political club, has disappointed some traditional reformist supporters with his initial statements toeing the line of the regime’s sensitivities. The number of reform supporters among the Iranian public has dwindled, with the share of the vote of young voters in recent elections being in massive decline from previous decades.
Pezeshkian's earlier comments on following the path of the late hardline President Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sparked criticism in the media.
Speaking at Tehran University on June 16, Pezeshkian defended his stance, asserting that no one can insult him for his 'respect and devotion' to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
However, he later used keywords to appeal to the opposing front, including mentioning Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman whose death in police custody over hijab sparked the country's protests in 2022.
Pezeshkian claimed he was the only one who commented freely on the issue and was nearly disqualified by the Guardian Council. That comment has been backed by a widely circulated video from when he was commenting on the issue on national television.
Pezeshkian had previously criticised the Iranian government's performance in enforcing strict hijab rules for women. After public protests subsided, the government resumed its previous methods under different guises, once again involving the police in enforcing hijab through a scheme called 'Noor' (Light).
Pezeshkian stated that the plan would not yield results and vowed to stand up to this policy to the extent of his authority, convincing other individuals and organisations to change course.
'We shouldn't act in a way that our girls and women begin to hate [religious] beliefs … it is none of our concern how each person dresses,' he said.
Pezeshkian, drawing from his past experiences, assured the audience that he has never punished or dismissed anyone based on their beliefs, even when faced with personal disagreements.
He emphasised the importance of respecting individual privacy and vowed to oppose any actions that could harm the environment, citing the alarming depletion of underground resources.
Pezeshkian also promised to give more freedom to students, acknowledging their right to protest. During the 2021 riots, university students played a key role and faced severe consequences, including expulsion, arrest, and judicial sentences.
While advocating for reform, Pezeshkian said that it cannot be achieved through confrontation; otherwise, one should stage a 'revolution.'
He added, 'The path of reform is definitely easier than that of revolution,' acknowledging that there is no simple prescription for achieving liberty.
