Sole reformist Iranian candidate says he’ll seek better ties ‘with all countries except Israel’

By AP 28 June 2024, 12:54 pm

8 Edit

The sole reformist running in today’s Iranian presidential election tells journalists after voting: “God willing, we will try to have friendly relations with all countries except Israel.”

The remark by Masoud Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old heart surgeon who seeks a return to the atomic accord and better relations with the West, comes after he faced a thinly veiled warning from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over his outreach to the United States.

With the comment, Pezeshkian signals his effort to energize those who want more engagement with the West after the collapse of the country’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. However, close ties to the West — particularly the US — would be anathema to the hardliners he faces.