Pezeshkian Wins Iran’s Presidential Race
Plus: Hezbollah fires 200 rockets at Israel, Hamas revises ceasefire proposal, Labour's expected Middle East Policy, Turkey shuts Syrian borders after violent clashes.
Hello and welcome to Inshallah! I’m here to bring you the top stories from the Middle East. Come along on this journey with me to stay informed about the latest news and trends in the region.
Pezeshkian Wins Iran’s Presidential Race
Masoud Pezeshkian has won Iran’s presidential run-off against Saeed Jalili, the Interior Ministry announced. Pezeshkian received 16.3 million votes to Jalili’s 13.5 million.
A 69-year-old cardiac surgeon and reformist, Pezeshkian has committed to a pragmatic foreign policy, easing tensions over stalled negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear pact and promoting social liberalization and political pluralism. While Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds ultimate authority on major state matters, including the nuclear program and militia support, the president can influence the country’s policy tone and will play a role in selecting Khamenei’s successor, now 85.
Pezeshkian aligns with Iran’s theocratic rule and does not intend to challenge the powerful security and clerical establishment. During the campaign, he pledged not to oppose Khamenei’s policies. Endorsed by former President Mohammad Khatami, Pezeshkian emerged from political isolation after hardline President Ebrahim Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash in May. Unlike Raisi, who enforced strict dress laws for women and took a hard stance on the nuclear deal, Pezeshkian has promised to revive the struggling economy affected by mismanagement, corruption, and U.S. sanctions.
In his political career since 2008, Pezeshkian, an Azeri who advocates for ethnic minority rights, has criticized the suppression of political and social dissent. In 2022, he demanded answers about the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in custody for allegedly violating dress laws, sparking nationwide unrest.
During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Pezeshkian served as a combatant and physician, deploying medical teams to the front lines. He was health minister from 2001 to 2005 in Khatami’s second term. After losing his wife and a child in a 1994 car accident, he raised his remaining children alone, never remarrying.
Read more on Reuters.
Hezbollah Fires 200 Rockets at Israel After Commander Killed
Hezbollah launched over 200 rockets on Thursday, targeting multiple Israeli military bases. This retaliation followed a strike that killed one of its senior commanders, marking one of the largest escalations in the ongoing conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border, which has seen heightened tensions in recent weeks.
In response to Hezbollah’s attack, Israel conducted strikes on several towns in southern Lebanon, specifically targeting Hezbollah’s military structures in Ramyeh and Houla. The Lebanese National News Agency reported casualties from an Israeli drone strike in Houla. Additionally, Israeli jets conducted supersonic flights over Beirut and other Lebanese areas.
Israel publicly acknowledged the killing of Mohammad Naameh Nasser, a senior Hezbollah commander responsible for one of its southern divisions, the day before.
Following his death, Hezbollah launched numerous Katyusha and Falaq rockets into northern Israel and the Golan, continuing their offensive on Thursday with explosive drone attacks on several bases.
Hashem Safieddine, head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, vowed further retaliatory attacks, targeting unexpected sites.
The United States and France are actively working to prevent localized skirmishes from escalating into a broader regional war. Initially focusing on calming tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, U.S. efforts now also hinge on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, believing it will stabilize the situation in Lebanon and northern Israel as well.
Read more on AP News.
Hamas Revises Ceasefire Proposal as Israel Continues Negotiations
Ceasefire and hostage release efforts in Gaza gained momentum on Friday after Hamas revised its proposal, with Israel indicating negotiations will continue next week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Mossad chief returned from initial talks in Doha, Qatar, and confirmed ongoing negotiations. Netanyahu’s office acknowledged gaps between the sides, but an anonymous Israeli negotiator suggested a real chance of agreement.
A Palestinian official close to the peace efforts told Reuters that Hamas is no longer insisting on a pre-commitment to a permanent ceasefire, allowing negotiations during a six-week phase. If more time is needed, both sides would agree not to resume fighting until an agreement is reached.
Hamas rejected the presence of foreign forces in Gaza, opposing any international contingent. The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) echoed this stance, viewing any foreign presence as an occupation.
Hamas’s proposal responds to a plan by U.S. President Joe Biden involving the release of 120 hostages, a phased Israeli withdrawal, and the release of Palestinian prisoners, culminating in Gaza’s reconstruction.
Israel has previously only agreed to temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas is eradicated. An Israeli delegation in Egypt discussed the potential deal, with Israel expected to respond to Hamas’s proposal after consultations with Qatar and Egypt.
Read more on Reuters.
Labour’s Expected Middle East Policy
A significant shift in the U.K.’s Middle East policy is unlikely under the new Labour government, despite internal party disagreements over the Gaza conflict. The ruling Conservatives suffered a historic defeat, with Labour winning 412 seats to the Tories’ 121. The Conservative Party’s decline followed numerous scandals, including mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic issues.
New Prime Minister Keir Starmer has adopted a centrist approach to unite the party, contrasting with former leader Jeremy Corbyn’s more distinct Middle East policy. Starmer’s stance on the region largely aligns with that of previous Conservative leaders, particularly in supporting Israel’s self-defense actions.
Labour is likely to prioritize resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict, balancing the expectations of its pro-Palestinian constituents with alignment to U.S. policy. This could include restoring funding to UNRWA and reevaluating arms sales to Israel.
Regarding Iran, Labour may adopt a firmer stance, possibly designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, reflecting key party figures’ views on the IRGC’s regional activities and threats to the U.K. Labour also intends to strengthen relations with Gulf nations and engage in multilateral frameworks to address regional stability and economic interests.
Read more on L’Orient Today.
Turkey Shuts Syrian Borders After Violent Clashes
Turkey closed its main border crossings into northwest Syria on Tuesday after Turkish troops were fired upon by Syrians angered by violence against their compatriots in Turkey, according to a Syrian opposition source and residents, as reported by Reuters.
In Turkey, police detained 474 people involved in attacks on the Syrian community, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. The unrest, which began last Sunday, saw properties and vehicles owned by Syrians vandalized and set on fire in Kayseri following social media reports of a Syrian man allegedly sexually abusing a child relative. Yerlikaya stated the incident is under investigation.
The violence spread to Hatay, Gaziantep, Konya, Bursa, and an Istanbul district, with reports of injuries among Syrians, according to Turkey’s MIT intelligence agency. In response, hundreds of Syrians protested in several towns in rebel-held northwest Syria, where Turkey has a significant military presence.
Late Monday, Turkey closed the Bab al Hawa border crossing and other smaller crossings until further notice, affecting trade and travel for over 3 million people. Afrin saw the most violent clashes, with four people killed in exchanges of fire between armed protesters and Turkish troops. Elsewhere, skirmishes included civilians throwing stones at Turkish convoys and tearing down Turkish flags.
On Tuesday, President Tayyip Erdogan blamed the unrest on groups linked to terrorist organizations and promised to expose those behind the incidents. Erdogan noted that more than 670,000 people have returned to northern Syria, where Turkey has created safe zones over the past decade. He assured that the refugee issue would be addressed humanely and in line with Turkey’s economic realities, hosting over 3 million Syrian refugees.
Erdogan mentioned that a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could help restore bilateral relations, which were severed after Turkey supported rebels following the 2011 Syrian civil war.
Read more on Reuters.
That’s a wrap for this week! Thank you for joining Inshallah! Don’t forget to share and subscribe.
About me
My name is Dario Sabaghi, and I am a freelance journalist interested in international news with a focus on the MENA region.
Check out my work at dariosabaghi.com.
You can follow me on Twitter: @DarioSabaghi
Errors and editing mistakes may occasionally occur. I appreciate your feedback and take all complaints seriously. Please get in touch with me on Twitter to report any issues, and I will do my best to rectify them promptly.
Cover photo: Anadolu Ajansı