Despite the fanfare surrounding the recent election, the so-called "President-elect" of Iran holds a meaningless title, with all real authority residing firmly in the hands of the Supreme Leader.
The Islamic Republic of Iran boasts a facade of three branches of government, but the power dynamic is far from balanced. The Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reigns supreme, with additional branches like the Guardian Council and Assembly of Experts granting him absolute control over the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches.
The title "President-elect" in Iran is a mere illusion. The Supreme Leader dictates every move of the so-called president, even to the extent of prohibiting press conferences without his explicit permission. Masoud Pezeshkian, the newly elected president, serves as nothing more than a mouthpiece for Khamenei, forced to fulfill his laundry list of demands, including supporting terrorist leaders like Hassan Nasrallah and Bashar Assad.
The Illusion of Presidency: Unmasking the Powerless Role of Iran's 'President-Elect'
Iran's constitution is riddled with the "two deadliest poisons": absolute power and official religion. The Supreme Leader's position and the Council of Guardians, which vets candidates for elections, ensure that only loyalists to the Islamic regime can hold office. This manipulation has rendered all three branches of government powerless, concentrating authority solely within the Supreme Leader's hands.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the newly appointed president, is far from being a "moderate" or "reformist." He was instrumental in enforcing mandatory hijab in universities and hospitals, led attacks on student organizations during Iran's Islamic cultural revolution, and supported the Cultural Revolution Headquarters, which closed down schools, burned textbooks, and purged dissidents.
The Illusion of Presidency: Unmasking the Powerless Role of Iran's 'President-Elect'
Pezeshkian has demonstrated unwavering loyalty to Khamenei for nearly half a century. He mobilized parliamentarians to support the designated terrorist organization IRGC, chanting "Death to America" in the parliament. During the IRGC massacre of over 1,500 protesters in 2019, he stood firmly behind the regime's brutal actions.
As a loyal ally of Ayatollah Khamenei, who is heavily influenced by Russia, Pezeshkian is likely to continue the regime's anti-American, anti-Israel, and anti-Western policies. He may also serve as an agent of Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, furthering the regime's alignment with Russian interests.
The Illusion of Presidency: Unmasking the Powerless Role of Iran's 'President-Elect'
The term "President-elect" in Iran is a hollow title, masking the true power structure of the Islamic Republic. The illusion of democratic elections serves only to legitimize the Supreme Leader's absolute authority. Masoud Pezeshkian, far from being a reformer, is merely a pawn in Khamenei's regime, destined to follow his orders without question.
