Iran’s new hope: a cardiologist president
He is said to detest the capital, Tehran. Can he master its politics?
The election of Masoud Pezeshkian, a reform-minded cardiologist, as president of Iran on July 5th prompted jubilation. In the hours after the vote, men and women danced in the streets as if the country’s strict dress code were no more. Some speculated that they would now escape the grip of their ayatollahs and of American sanctions. Hossein Derakhshan, a former political prisoner now close to Mr Pezeshkian, chirped that this was “the age of freedom from the cage”.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “A new hope, again”
From the July 13th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Middle East & Africa
West African booze is becoming a luxury product
Female entrepreneurs are leading the charge
First, the ceasefire. Next the Trump effect could upend the Middle East
Will Israel and Donald Trump use the threat of annexation to secure a new grand bargain?
After 15 months of hell, Israel and Hamas sign a ceasefire deal
Donald Trump provided the X factor by putting heat on Binyamin Netanyahu, who insists the war isn’t over yet
A hidden refuge in Sudan that the internet, banks—and war—can’t reach
A visit to the Nuba mountains provides a glimpse into the future of the country
Violent jihadists are getting frustrated by the new Syria
Tipsy dancers, Christmas decorations, Shias and women’s rights are in the crosshairs
America concludes genocide has been committed in Sudan—again
The move highlights the magnitude of Sudan’s civil war but does little to end it