The Free Press
NewslettersSign InSubscribe
Iran’s New ‘Reformist’ President Is Anything But
Masoud Pezeshkian at a final campaign rally on July 3, 2024, in Tehran, Iran. (Photo by Majid Saeedi via Getty Images)
‘He’s a garden-variety regime guy’ loyal to the Ayatollah and his Revolutionary Guards.
By Eli Lake
07.09.24 — International
45
86

If you saw the headlines in the Western press about Iran’s election over the weekend, you might have thought it had yielded a miracle: the country’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is a “reformer.”

Spoiler alert. He is not. But it’s worth examining why so many media outlets, including The New York Times and NPR, have leapt at the chance to declare Peze…

Continue Reading The Free Press
To support our journalism, and unlock all of our investigative stories and provocative commentary about the world as it actually is, subscribe below.
Annual
$8.33/month
Billed as $100 yearly
Save 17%!
Monthly
$10/month
Billed as $10 monthly
Already have an account?
Sign In
To read this article, sign in or subscribe
Eli Lake
Eli Lake is the host of Breaking History, a new history podcast from The Free Press. A veteran journalist with expertise in foreign affairs and national security, Eli has reported for Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, and Newsweek. With Breaking History, he brings his sharp analysis and storytelling skills to uncover the connections between today’s events and pivotal moments in the past.
Comments
Join the conversation
Share your thoughts and connect with other readers by becoming a paid subscriber!
Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

No posts

For Free People.
LatestSearchAboutCareersShopPodcastsVideoEvents
Download the app
Download on the Google Play Store
©2025 The Free Press. All Rights Reserved.Powered by Substack.
Privacy∙Terms∙Collection notice