Three figures who unintentionally helped Pezeshkian
Since 1400, Zakani’s name has been tied with the label ‘cover candidate,’ but his actions in the 1403 elections and that historic dialogue with Pezeshkian ensured that the cover label remained on his forehead for years.
In every election, moments arise that can change the course of the campaign’s key words and slogans and become a turning point in the public’s perception of the candidate and their supporters.
In the fourteenth presidential election, three figures on television unintentionally helped Pezeshkian rise: Fouad Izadi, Shahab Esfandiari, and Alireza Zakani.
To the audience of the IRIB and its one-sided platforms, Fouad Izadi is a familiar face, a figure against the JCPOA.
During Pezeshkian’s foreign policy roundtable, he downplayed Zarif’s performance, leading to that stormy 8 minutes, which was both Zarif’s most significant electoral presence announcement and the most crucial counterattack against the rival’s positions.
The counterattack shattered the rival’s narrative on the strategic action plan for oil sales, and the opponents’ campaign never managed to repair the damage caused by Zarif’s 8-minute presence until the end of the elections.
Perhaps if it weren’t for Fouad Izadi’s provocative language, those 8 minutes wouldn’t have been so impactful on public opinion.
Shahab Esfandiari’s behavior on television, however, was different and more conspicuous. He personalized Pezeshkian’s roundtable so much, insisted on accusing Mohammad Fazeli, and interrupted Fazeli’s limited time to the point where microphones were cut off, leaving no room for a response and escalating the tension.
Fazeli threw the microphone, but contrary to initial perceptions, the unexpected response from Mohammad Fazeli elevated Pezeshkian’s campaign, raising it to a level where the audience saw the capacity to represent protests.
The audience empathized with the anger and rebellion of a dismissed professor sitting next to a potential president and legitimized that anger.
Since 1400, Zakani’s name has been tied with the label ‘cover candidate,’ but his actions in this election and that historic dialogue with Pezeshkian ensured that the cover label remained on his forehead for years.
When he said he would stay and not let Pezeshkian become president, he unintentionally stirred Pezeshkian’s campaign and even the undecided. Alireza Zakani, due to his repeated presence in debates, also took on the role of mobilizing Pezeshkian’s campaign. He had a lot of negative votes among reformist, moderate citizens, and of course, the undecided, and his behavior in each debate highlighted the ethical aspect of Pezeshkian’s brand and created votes for Pezeshkian, even if negatively.