Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian elected as Iran's president | BBC News

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as Iran's new president, after beating his hardline conservative rival Saeed Jalili by nearly three million votes.

Speaking after the result was announced, he said he would extend his hand to all Iranians.

Dr Pezeshkian, a 71-year-old heart surgeon and member of the Iranian parliament, is critical of Iran's notorious morality police and caused a stir after promising "unity and cohesion", as well as an end to Iran's "isolation" from the world.

Millions of people boycotted the elections over the lack of choice in the candidates, dominated by Islamic hard liners, and the impossibility of real change as long as the supreme leader tightly controls policies.