Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's new president
Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's new presidentReuters/Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto

Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as the new Iranian president, bringing victory for the country's reformists.

Iran called elections earlier this year after the sudden death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May.

Pezeshkian won 16.3 million votes in the elections, local reports said, adding that the turnout for the elections was just 49.8%.

Iran's other candidate, Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator, received 13.5 million votes.

Pezeshkian has been an Iranian MP since 2008, and serves a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the vice speaker of parliament. Among his stated goals is to improve Iran's relationships with the West.