Masoud Pezeshkian
Masoud Pezeshkian | |
---|---|
مسعود پزشکیان | |
![]() Pezeshkian in 2024 | |
President-elect of Iran | |
Vice President | TBD |
Supreme Leader | Ali Khamenei |
Preceded by | Mohammad Mokhber (acting) |
Member of the Parliament of Iran | |
Assumed office 27 May 2008 | |
Preceded by | Mohammed Mokhber |
Constituency | Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr, (East Azerbaijan) |
Majority | 261,605 (36.27%) |
Minister of Health and Medical Education | |
In office 22 August 2001 – 24 August 2005 | |
President | Mohammad Khatami |
Preceded by | Mohammad Farhadi |
Succeeded by | Kamran Bagheri Lankarani |
Personal details | |
Born | Mahabad, Imperial State of Iran | 29 September 1954
Political party | Independent |
Other political affiliations | Reformists |
Children | 4[1] |
Alma mater | Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Iran University of Medical Sciences |
Profession | Heart surgeon |
Website | drpezeshkian |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps |
Battles/wars | Iran–Iraq War |
Masoud Pezeshkian (Persian: مسعود پزشکیان; born 29 September 1954) is an Iranian cardiac surgeon and reformist politician who is the President of Iran since 2024.[2]
Earlier, Pezeshkian represented Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr electoral district in the Parliament of Iran, and also served as its First Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2020. He was Minister of Health and Medical Education between 2001 and 2005 in the Government of Mohammad Khatami.[3]
Pezeshkian was elected governor of Piranshahr and Naghadeh counties in West Azerbaijan province during the 1980s.[4] He ran in the 2013 presidential election, but withdrew, and ran again in the 2021 election, but was rejected.[5]
On 5 July 2024 he won the 2024 presidential election with 54,76% of the popular vote, becoming at 69 years Iran’s oldest President at the time of the election. [6]
Early life and education
Pezeshkian was born in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan on 29 September 1954[7] to an Iranian Azerbaijani father and Iranian Kurdish mother.[8] In 1973, he received his diploma and moved to Zabol to serve his conscription duty. It was during this time when he became interested in medicine. After completing his service, he returned to his home province, where he entered medical school and graduated with a degree in general medicine. During the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), Pezeshkian frequently visited the front lines, where he was responsible for sending medical teams and working as a fighter and doctor. Pezeshkian finished his General practitioner course in 1985, and started teaching Physiology at the medical college.
In addition to Persian, Pezeshkian speaks many languages, including Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Arabic and English.[9][10]
After the war, he continued his education, specializing in general surgery at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. In 1993, he received a subspecialty in cardiac surgery from Iran University of Medical Sciences. He later became a specialist in heart surgery, leading him to become president of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1994, a position he held for five years.[11]
Career
Pezeshkian's political career began when he joined Mohammad Khatami's administration as Deputy Health Minister in 1997. He was appointed Health Minister four years later, serving from 2001 to 2005.[12][dead link] Since then, he has been elected to the Iranian parliament five times, representing Tabriz, and served as the First Deputy Speaker of the parliament from 2016 to 2020.
On 6 July 2024, Pezeshkian was elected President after winning the 5 July run-off of the 2024 presidential election with 16.3 million votes (53.7%) to Saeed Jalili's 13.5 million (44.3%).[13] He is scheduled to take the office of president sometime between 22 July–5 August 2024, before which the Iranian parliament must approve his resignation.[14]
Pezeshkian is a Quran teacher, and reciter of the Nahj al-balagha, a key text for Shia Muslims.[15]
Views
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Iranian_MPs_Wear_IRGC_Uniforms_07.jpg/220px-Iranian_MPs_Wear_IRGC_Uniforms_07.jpg)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Pezeshkian is a supporter of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and has called its current incarnation "different from the past".[16] He condemned the declaration of the IRGC as a terrorist organization by the Trump administration in 2019.[17] After the 2019 Iranian shoot-down of an American drone, Pezeshkian called the American government "terrorist" and described the IRGC's action to target the drone as "a strong punch to the mouths of the leaders of criminal America".[18] During a university meeting and in response to some criticisms, Pezeshkian put on an IRGC uniform, and said that he would wear it again.[19]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Masoud_pezeshkian.webp/220px-Masoud_pezeshkian.webp.png)
Criticism of the Iranian system
Pezeshkian has criticized the Iranian system multiple times. During the 2009 post-election protests, in a speech, Pezeshkian criticized the way the protesters were treated. In his speech, he mentioned the words of the first Shiite Imam [Ali] addressed to Malik Ashtar not to treat people "like a wild animal".[20]
Pezeshkian considered Iran's method of managing the 2018 protests as "scientifically and intellectually wrong". He blamed the country's system for all the events and said: "We should have done better."[21] After the 2022 protests, Pezeshkian demanded the creation of an assessment and clarification team regarding the incident. Although he considered the way of dealing with the protesters and their trial to be contrary to the constitution and demanded that the defendants should get lawyers, he later issued a statement, condemned the protests and did not consider it to be in the people's interest.[22]
Ethnic views
Pezeshkian emphasizes the rights of ethnic groups such as Azeris, Kurds and Baluchis and states that the rights of these groups should be protected. He supports the implementation of Article 15 of the Iranian Constitution for all ethnicities. This principle says: "The official and common language and script of the people of Iran is Persian. Documents, correspondence, official texts and textbooks must be in this language and script, but the use of local and ethnic languages in the press and mass media and the teaching of their literature in schools is free, along with the Persian language." He argues that the implementation of this principle mitigates separatist and dissident motivations.[23] Pezeshkian also supports teaching of the Azerbaijani language in Iranian schools.[5]
Personal life
Pezeshkian's wife was a gynecologist.[24] In 1993, she died along with their youngest son in a car crash.[25] He raised his remaining two sons and daughter alone and has never remarried.[26] His daughter, Zahra, has a master's degree in chemistry from Sharif University of Technology, and was working at Jam Petrochemical before the Rouhani government came to power. She is also regarded as a political adviser.
Pezeshkian is a fan of Tractor S.C.[27]
Public image
Some consider Pezeshkian to have a clear track record in economic matters and his family far from the sidelines. His political opponents, such as Alireza Zakani, have accused him of defending people involved in corruption.[28][29]
References
- ^ Ahangar, Ali. "مسعود پزشكيان؛ كسي كه مثل هيچ كس نيست". Etemaad Daily. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
- ^ "Centrist Masoud Pezeshkian will be Iran's next president". Al Jazeera. 6 July 2024.
- ^ "در مورد مسعود پزشکیان در ویکیتابناک بیشتر بخوانید" [Who is Masoud Pezeshkian?]. www.tabnak.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ "Iran International".
- ^ a b "افراد ردصلاحیتشده فقط توانستند یک نامه بنویسند". Iranian Labour News Agency. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Centrist Masoud Pezeshkian will be Iran's next president". Al Jazeera. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "مسعود پزشکیان کیست؟" [Who is Masoud Pezeshkian?]. Entekhab (in Persian). 21 May 2024. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ Editorial (14 June 2024). "The Guardian view on Iran's presidential election: more choice, but little real hope of change". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ Sharifi, Kian. "Who is Masud Pezeshkian, Iran's President-Elect?". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
- ^ Wintour, Patrick (6 July 2024). "Masoud Pezeshkian: the former heart surgeon who became president of Iran". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "در مورد مسعود پزشکیان در ویکیتابناک بیشتر بخوانید". www.tabnak.ir. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ "Persian Press Review". Tehran Times. 29 May 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
- ^ Fassihi, Farnaz (6 July 2024). "Reformist Candidate Wins Iran's Presidential Election". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "President-elect's inauguration ceremony slated for July 22 – August 5". Islamic Republic News Agency. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian shakes up Iran presidential election". www.ft.com. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ مسعود پزشکیان: من بازهم لباس سپاه میپوشم/ سپاه با چیزی که الآن میبینید متفاوت است (in Persian). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024 – via www.rokna.net.
- ^ "ملت با قدرت از سپاه مقتدر دفاع میکند". www.alef.ir. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ "پزشکیان: سپاه مشت محکمی به دهان یاوهگوییهای آمریکا زد/ طنین شعار «مرگ بر آمریکا» در مجلس". www.alef.ir. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ "پزشکیان: من بازهم لباس سپاه میپوشم؛ سپاه اگر نبود کشور تجزیه شده بود". اصلاحات نیوز (in Persian). 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ Mehrabi, Ehsan (10 June 2024). "Who is Masoud Pezeshkian, the Only Pro-Reform Candidate?". Iran Wire.
- ^ "انتخابات ریاستجمهوری ایران؛ مهدی کروبی از نامزدی مسعود پزشکیان حمایت کرد". BBC News فارسی (in Persian). 19 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ Dagres, Holly (19 June 2024). "Masoud Pezeshkian is a possible game changer in the upcoming Iranian presidential election". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ رادیوفردا (25 April 2018). "پزشکیان: اصل ۱۵ قانون اساسی برای همه اجرا شود". رادیو فردا (in Persian). Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ "مقامهای جمهوری اسلامی و همسرانشان؛ مردان نامدار و زنان 'بینام'". BBC News فارسی (in Persian). Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ Wintour, Patrick (6 July 2024). "Masoud Pezeshkian: the former heart surgeon who became president of Iran". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "مسعود پزشکیان", ویکیپدیا، دانشنامهٔ آزاد (in Persian), 13 June 2024, retrieved 13 June 2024
- ^ "پزشکیان: اکثر بازیهای تراکتور را با نوهام محمدحسین به استادیوم میرویم /با هم بحث میکنیم؛ نقدم میکند، اما هیچوقت دعوا نمیکنیم – خبرآنلاین". www.khabaronline.ir. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ "دفاع تأسفبار پزشکیان از 2 نماینده مجلس متهم به فساد مالی در بازار خودرو!". رکنا (in Persian). 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ جهان, Fararu | فرارو | اخبار روز ایران و (16 June 2024). "حمله زاکانی به پزشکیان: از یک بیعدالتی محض دفاع میکرد". fa (in Persian). Retrieved 16 June 2024.
External links
Media related to Masoud Pezeshkian at Wikimedia Commons
- 1954 births
- Living people
- Deputies of Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr
- Government ministers of Iran
- Politicians from Tabriz
- Members of the 9th Islamic Consultative Assembly
- Members of the 8th Islamic Consultative Assembly
- Iranian surgeons
- Iranian cardiac surgeons
- People from Mahabad
- Iranian reformists
- Tabriz University of Medical Sciences alumni
- University of Tehran alumni
- Members of the 10th Islamic Consultative Assembly
- Members of the 11th Islamic Consultative Assembly
- First Deputies of Islamic Consultative Assembly
- Academic staff of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
- Impeached Iranian officials
- Iranian Azerbaijanis
- Iranian people of Kurdish descent