Iranian presidential candidate and reformist Massoud Pezeshkian, flashes the V-sign for victory after casting his vote during the presidential election in Tehran on June 28, 2024. 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 on July 6, 2024. Pezeshkian, 69, won around 53.6 percent of the vote in a runoff election against the ultraconservative Saeed Jalili.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian on July 6 for his win in Iran’s presidential runoff election.

“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,” Mr. Modi wrote on social media platform X.

India and Iran have warm ties despite Tehran’s pariah status among Western countries including the United States, at the same time as New Delhi pursues greater security cooperation with Washington.

In May, both countries signed a contract to develop and equip the long-stalled Chabahar port project in Iran, prompting Washington to warn that Indian firms working on the project risked sanctions.

Mr. Pezeshkian received around 54% of the vote while ultraconservative rival Saeed Jalili got around 44% in the second round of the poll.

An election was not due until 2025 but was called early after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.