This Time is Different: Iran's New Reformist President

The election of a new reformist Iranian president has earned skepticism and scorn among much of the international press. Historical context suggests they are missing the point.

Masoud Pezeshkian’s inauguration was quickly followed by another event that threatens to escalate rising tension in the Middle East. Image source

On July 31, an explosion inside a heavily guarded Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) guest house in Tehran killed Hamas political leader Ismael Haniyeh, along with his bodyguard. Reports indicate that agents – presumed acting on behalf of Israel – smuggled an explosive device into the guest house weeks prior. Haniyeh – a key negotiator in ongoing multilateral ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel – was in Tehran attending the inauguration of newly-elected Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.

This incident is the latest in a series of incidents threatening to escalate the ongoing conflict across much of the Middle East. As tensions continue to mount, Pezeshkian – a reformist – represents the possibility that a negotiated settlement may be reached before the situation spirals out of control. However, as with previous Iranian reformist administrations, there are also many possibilities for derailment.