Iranian presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian
Iran to hold on to Eastern promise
New reformist leadership is unlikely to see any quick changes to relations with the West, but Iran has opportunity to boost its energy and foreign policy options
Masoud Pezeshkian, a classic reformist and former member of parliament, has emerged as the new president of Iran following an election held after the death of the country’s pro-East president, Ebrahim Raisi, resulting in the resurgence of reformists in Iranian politics. Just three months ago, even the most optimistic political observers in Iran saw little chance of Pezeshkian securing a seat in parliament, let alone the presidency. But Iran now has a president who, during his campaign, emphasised efforts to resolve issues with the West. Iran's foreign policy is influenced by a complex and opaque mix of geopolitical, ideological, economic and political factors, making it difficult to define a
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
