Iran's Rowhani says new leader Pezeshkian could reopen nuclear talks

Former Iranian president Hassan Rowhani has described the election of reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian as an opportunity to revive negotiations with the West on the country's nuclear programme.

Pezeshkian won Iran's presidential election after beating his ultra-conservative rival Saeed Jalili in a run-off vote on Saturday. Iran's electoral authority said that Pezeshkian, a former health minister, received 53.7% of the votes cast to Jalili's 44.3%.

The Shargh newspaper quoted Rowhani, who was president from 2013 to 2021 and widely seen as a centrist, as calling Pezeshkian's victory a "popular referendum in favour of productive dealings with the global community."

Like many politicians from the reformist camp, Pezeshkian has called for improved relations with the West in order to boost Iran's flailing economy.

Iran has been suffering from an economic crisis since the United States imposed new sanctions on the country in 2018 after president Donald Trump's administration withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement.

According to observers, a resumption of nuclear negotiations to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons is the only political option to achieve a lifting of sanctions and improve the situation.

But in view of the complex political situation and powerful interest groups in Iran, it is unclear to what extent Pezeshkian can effect significant change.