In a lively Tehran prayer hall, ultraconservative Saeed Jalili gathered passionate supporters in preparation for Friday's runoff presidential election, while his reformist opponent, Masoud Pezeshkian, energized a crowd at a nearby stadium. Both candidates concluded their final campaign events on Wednesday evening, having topped the first-round votes in the snap elections to replace President Ebrahim Raisi, who tragically perished in a helicopter accident in May. The Grand Mosalla mosque in central Tehran resonated with chants of "All Iran says Jalili" as thousands of the hardline former nuclear negotiator's supporters assembled, filled with enthusiasm. Jalili pledged "strength and progress" if elected, with posters of the late ultraconservative Raisi, bearing the slogan "A world of opportunities, Iran leaps forward," decorating the walls.
In another part of the capital, at an open-air stadium, Pezeshkian advocated for "unity and cohesion," with his supporters chanting in support of the reformist former president Mohammad Khatami, who has endorsed Pezeshkian. The spirited crowd waved green flags emblazoned with the reformist candidate's "For Iran" slogan, chanting "Long live Khatami, long live Pezeshkian!" At the prayer hall, women in black chadors sat in a segregated area, but all erupted in applause as Jalili entered. "We are at a historical moment," he declared to the cheering crowd, encouraging voters to participate in the Friday polls.
Only 40 percent of Iran's 61 million eligible voters cast their ballots in the previous week's election, marking the lowest turnout in any presidential election since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. For 40-year-old Maryam Naroui, Jalili represents "the best option for the country's security." A 39-year-old housewife, who chose to remain anonymous, believes he "is honest and will continue Raisi's path." Known for his firm anti-West stance, Jalili has vehemently opposed reestablishing the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which he argues violated Iran's "red lines" by permitting inspections of nuclear sites. As he spoke, some supporters chanted against former president Hassan Rouhani, who had negotiated the accord.
If elected, Jalili assured the rally that "we will enhance the strength and progress of the country." Pezeshkian, advocating for "constructive relations" with Western governments to end Iran's isolation, has received endorsements from moderate figures including former president Khatami and Rouhani. "We can manage our country with unity and cohesion," Pezeshkian told his enthusiastic supporters. He vowed to "fully" oppose police patrols enforcing the mandatory headscarf and to ease internet restrictions, addressing a crowd of women in colorful hijabs and traditional black chadors, alongside men.
The hijab issue has intensified following widespread protests triggered by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who was detained for allegedly violating the dress code. Since the nationwide unrest, women have increasingly defied the code, while police have tightened controls. Sadegh Azari, a 45-year-old insurance worker, expressed, "I believe if Pezeshkian wins... the people will have hope for the future."
