Masoud Pezeshkian is Iran’s next president: What does it mean for India?

Iran has elected a new president. Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has won the run-off, beating hard-liner Saeed Jalili. The presidential race was necessitated following the death of then-President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon, urged Iranians on Saturday (July 6) to stay with him on “the difficult road ahead”. “Dear people of Iran, the election is over, and this is just the beginning of our working together. A difficult road is ahead. It can only be smooth with your cooperation, empathy and trust,” he wrote in a post on social media platform X.

“I extend my hand to you and swear on my honour that I will not abandon you on this path. Do not abandon me.”

Pezeshkian has offered no radical changes to Iran’s Shiite theocracy. However, his rule could see let up of the country’s mandatory hijab (Islamic headscarf) law.

But what about Iran’s foreign policy, particularly its ties with India? How will they be affected by Pezeshkian’s election? Let’s understand.

Iran’s foreign policy

While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the ultimate decision-maker on matters of state, Pezeshkian could influence the direction of Iran’s foreign policy.

The President-elect has vowed to endorse pragmatic foreign policy and ease tensions over the stalled talks with major powers to revive a 2015 nuclear pact, reported Reuters.

The West will be watching Pezeshkian’s moves closely amid fears of Tehran’s growing nuclear programme.

According to Reuters, Pezeshkian ’s victory has raised hopes of a thaw in Iran’s ties with the West.

Iran’s presidential elections have come at a time when tensions are high in West Asia due to Israel’s war in Gaza and the Jewish state’s conflict with Iranian ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Pezeshkian is unlikely to bring a complete overhaul in policies and his pledges could face challenges from the Iranian government still dominated by hard-liners.

“There will be no changes in Iranian foreign policy and internal policy. Both discourses emphasise strengthening Iranian power internally and externally," Iran’s ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, told NDTV.

Impact on India-Iran ties

India and Iran have maintained cordial ties for decades. Trade and connectivity have also defined New Delhi’s relations with Tehran.

In fact, India is among Iran’s main trade partners, besides China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq and Turkey.

Iran is one of the key sources of crude oil for India. However, due to the United States’ sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme, New Delhi has stopped importing Iranian oil.

If Pezeshkian is successful in renewing talks with the West over the nuclear dispute, it may lead to the upliftment of economic sanctions eventually. Such a scenario is also in New Delhi’s interest.

With Iran aiming to increase its oil exports, India could get “a reliable and arguably cheaper” supplier of crude, as per an NDTV report.

An Iranian trade official has said that the Islamic Republic’s trade with India has plunged by up to a third due to sanctions, reported Iran International. The trade between the two countries reduced by 26 per cent in 2023, compared to the previous year. According to India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the trade stood at $1.836 billion last year, down from $2.499 billion in 2022.

India and Iran are also seeking cooperation in connectivity projects like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar port.

In May, India signed a 10-year pact to develop and operate Iran’s strategic Chabahar Port. Despite the US’ threat of sanctions, New Delhi has backed the project. The port is significant for India as it provides an alternative route to bolster trade ties with landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asian countries, bypassing its regional rival Pakistan.

India plans to invest $120 million to develop and operate the Shahid-Beheshti Port in Chabahar and has offered a $250 million credit line for infrastructure upgradation in Iran.

The INSTC is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport corridor connecting India to Russia via Iran. This project would enhance India’s energy security and boost the country’s trade with Central Asia.

ALSO READ: How India-Iran ties grew under Ebrahim Raisi

Pezeshkian is expected to deepen Iran’s relations with India, including economic ties. Analysts told Reuters that he is someone “world powers are likely to welcome, hoping he might pursue peaceful ways out of a tense standoff with Iran over its fast-advancing nuclear programme”.

Congratulating Pezeshkian on his victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, “Congratulations @drpezeshkian on your election as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region.”

As per Times of India, Pezeshkian’s moderate approach as he promises to relax social restrictions and adopt political pluralism could give a boost to people-to-people ties and cultural exchanges between India and Iran.

India will also be keen on the Iran president-elect’s stance on Israel, which is likely to continue shaping New Delhi’s “tightrope diplomacy” in West Asia, reported NDTV.

With inputs from agencies