When Iranian officials convened in Tehran to discuss the nation's water crisis this month, President Masoud Pezeshkian asked them to remove their blazers to cope with the sweltering heat instead of switching on the air conditioning.
Dressed in a short-sleeved polo shirt, his gesture was meant to symbolize a commitment to conserve energy amid war, but it quickly sparked controversy. Hardline politicians slammed the president's unorthodox choice of attire and activists accused him of double standards, where under Iran's strict dress codes, ordinary people would be barred from dressing down.
The next day, London-based opposition news outlet Iran International reported that he had submitted his resignation. The news sent the president's team into crisis management as officials took to social media to dismiss the report as “wishful thinking.†It was the latest of several false reports about Pezeshkian offering to step down.
The episodes offer a snapshot of the cascading crises that have defined Pezeshkian's tenure. Initially viewed as a placeholder after his predecessor died in a helicopter crash in 2024, the president has emerged as an unlikely survivor during one of the most turbulent periods in the Islamic Republic's history, while retaining a measure of public support despite wartime pressure and attacks from hardliners and opposition forces alike.
But as conservative forces in the country attempt to consolidate power following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the US-Israeli war, the question is whether Pezeshkian can continue advancing his moderate agenda while grappling with Iran's myriad challenges once the fighting ends.
With an interim deal for a ceasefire with the United States appearing increasingly likely, Pezeshkian's domestic challenges may soon multiply. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US “ended the war with Iran,†adding that it has agreed to a “very strong memorandum of understanding,†though Iranian officials have yet to officially sign off on any pact.
“Pezeshkian is going to be dealing with a lot of post-war issues but he is likely come out of this with more credibility within the Iranian political system, having served as a wartime president,†Ali Ahmadi, a fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and Middle East Institute Switzerland, said.
The president watched Israel assassinate his colleagues and superiors, faced accusations by ultra-conservative hardline politicians of compliance with Iran's archenemy, the United States, and even oversaw a massive crackdown on protests. Yet, even with persistent rumors of his impending resignation, he continues to run the government, albeit within the shrinking boundaries imposed on him by a regime enduring an existential war.
“The war and the domestic political dynamics it has unleashed have further relegated his status as, at least formally, (as) the Islamic Republic's second-highest official,†Mohammad Ali Shabani, editor of Amwaj.media, a London-based news outlet, told CNN, adding that “Pezeshkian is now increasingly settling into a role as a manager of mainly domestic affairs.â€
“Whether the presidency as an institution will remain constrained compared to his predecessors remains an open question,†he said.
Pezeshkian's presidential brand is characterized by dull humility, repeated apologies, and folksy relatability. He was nominated to run for the presidency in carefully vetted elections after the death of his predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi. Experts say voters elected the relatively low-profile figure largely to block Saeed Jalili, the hardline extremist nominee he was running against.
Under the shadow of a supreme leader who dictates key decisions, and cunning politicians maneuvering for power, the Iranian presidency has over the past two years been reduced to little more than administering the edicts imposed from above.
Yet, as Pezeshkian signals compliance in his limited role, he has quietly survived and even increased his own visibility by attempting to deliver on his campaign promises, despite the ongoing conflict.
For some Iranians, the 71-year-old has proved sufficient in the face of rolling crises, offering a moderate voice in a pool of hardliners – a breath of fresh air for a population ruled with an iron fist.
“At the very least, his tone and outlook seem more moderate than others,†said one Iranian mother of two living in Tehran, who asked not to be named. “Young people no longer just want economic promises. Social freedoms, open internet, and a calmer atmosphere matter to them too,†she told CNN, adding that “we can only judge by one thing… real results in people's daily lives.â€
A former surgeon and lawmaker who is largely seen as less assertive than his predecessors, he was, perhaps by design, the only moderate candidate vying for the top elected seat in the country after dozens of others were barred from running.
Today, he technically holds the second most powerful seat in Iran's leadership. In reality, his office's role is becoming less relevant as the IRGC, which observers say functions as a deep state, grows in prominence following Khamenei's killing in an Israeli airstrike on February 28.
“An almost accidental president, Pezeshkian – a former MP – has sought from the outset of his term to defang his hardline opponents through excessive fealty to the supreme leader,†Shabani said. “While this had benefits, such as promptly having his cabinet approved by the parliament, it also hollowed out the authority of the presidency under his watch.â€
Despite his apologetic and mild-mannered nature, Pezeshkian has presided over the regime's deadliest crackdowns on protesters, one of Iran's worst droughts in decades, Tehran's deadly air pollution that claims thousands of lives each year, and a currency so devalued that authorities have resorted to removing zeros from the rial to make financial calculations easier.
Nonetheless, Pezeshkian has sought to defend his presidency. This weekend, he lashed out at state broadcaster IRIB for adding to public anxiety by portraying the government's performance in a negative light.
“When state television and certain media figures direct unfair criticism at the government during wartime, we will be compelled to respond appropriately. That would not be in the country's best interest,†he wrote Sunday on X in a post that garnered widespread criticism from conservative Iranians.
When the US and Israel launched the war in late February, the regime's political veterans assumed de facto control over major state decisions in a move that further confined Pezeshkian's role to administration. Some of the clashes he has engaged in have come to demonstrate the limits of his power.
“The authority, influence, and institutional significance of the presidency have declined considerably since after the (former President Hassan) Rouhani era,†Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told CNN. “Today, both the president as an individual and the administration as an institution are largely confined to implementing decisions that are made elsewhere – particularly within the Supreme National Security Council.â€
Yet, despite the severe limits on his political maneuverability, Iran's mounting crises have boosted Pezeshkian's standing, especially since the US-Israeli war began.
As hardliners push for continued war, Pezeshkian is likely adopting a more moderate stance that has riled hardliners.
“It would not be surprising if Pezeshkian would be more likely to advocate for more patient diplomacy and flexibility,†said Ahmadi.
Since his election, he has clashed with conservative elements in the regime over policy matters. In the early days of the war, Pezeshkian issued public apologies to neighboring countries for strikes launched against them – drawing even sharper criticism from hard-liners.
He has nonetheless continued to ensure his government provides an ample supply of basic, if expensive, goods despite a naval blockade imposed by Washington on Iran, and has even pushed to assert some authority on key campaign promises – issues that have garnered further support.
Pezeshkian reluctantly presided over the longest internet blackout in the nation's history , but he earned public support after speaking out against those restrictions and lifting them last month, even as hardliners attempted to block the move through a court order.
During the war, he became more visible on the streets of Tehran, walking freely among the people without guards and attending to patients in hospitals, according to videos shared online.
Remarkably, some conservatives have come to his defense.
“Throughout the life of the Islamic Republic, even influential presidents have never been in (Pezeshkian's) situation,†conservative commentator Abbas Salimi Namin told Iranian reformist news outlet Rouydad24.
Still, while Pezeshkian has demonstrated his ability to operate efficiently within his confined space, his willingness to defer the most critical strategic decisions to Iran's security establishment has made his administration conveniently compliant – leaving many Iranians disillusioned with his presidency.
“Are you really asking me if I have an opinion about this guy?†an Iranian man who had lost his job because of the internet shutdown told CNN. “The country's problems go far beyond one person or one government.â€
“They're rooted in the system itself.â€
