Tehran, July 28– Massoud Pezeshkian has been officially approved as the President of Iran by the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to the Iranian constitution, the president-elect must receive the Supreme Leader’s endorsement before assuming office. 

The decree confirming Pezeshkian’s presidency was issued on Sunday morning local time. The ceremony was attended by Iran’s top military and civilian officials, and the news was reported by Perstoday and PressTV.

In his decree, Ayatollah Khamenei praised the successful completion of the presidential elections, stating, “All praise be to Allah, He has once again brought honor to Islamic Iran. Through the efforts of the people and the officials, the presidential elections have been completed and the chosen man of the nation is now ready to take up the great responsibility.”

The decree further emphasized the peaceful nature of the elections, contrasting it with political turmoil in other parts of the world. “The 14th presidential election held after the unexpired term of Shahid Raisi bears proof of the presence of reason, wisdom and restraint in the political arena of Iran,” Khamenei noted. 

Highlighting the qualities of the new president, the decree stated, “Based on the wishes of our great nation, I appoint the wise, honest, people-oriented, and learned Dr. Massoud Pezheshkian as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, supporting the people’s verdict.”

President Pezeshkian is scheduled to take his oath in the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) on Tuesday. Representatives from many countries around the world are expected to attend the ceremony.

Massoud Pezeshkian won the second round of Iran’s presidential election on July 5 with a significant majority. The early elections were necessitated by the untimely death of the former president, Ibrahim Raisi, in a helicopter crash.

Last May, President Raisi had inaugurated two dams near the border with Azerbaijan. Subsequently, while traveling to the city of Tabriz in northwestern Iran, the helicopter carrying Raisi and his entourage crashed in a mountainous area. 

The tragic accident claimed the lives of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian, Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati, Representative of the Supreme Leader in East Azerbaijan Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, Head of the Presidential Guard Mehdi Mousavi, and the helicopter’s pilot and co-pilot.

The early elections were conducted to fill the presidential vacancy resulting from Raisi’s death before the end of his term.

With the approval from Ayatollah Khamenei, Massoud Pezeshkian now steps into the role of President, carrying the hopes and responsibilities of leading Iran forward.