The Iranian presidential election has been won by reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian.

This was announced by the country’s election commission on Saturday.

Mr. Pezeshkian defeated his conservative competitor in a deciding vote amid rising local and international tensions.

Pezeshkian’s supporters had flocked to the streets in Tehran and several other cities to celebrate even before Iran’s interior ministry announced the final results.

Pezeshkian, is a 71-year-old heart surgeon and member of the Iranian parliament.

Iran’s new president has been critical of the country’s notorious morality police and caused a stir after promising unity and cohesion, as well as an end to Iran’s isolation from the world.

He has also called for constructive negotiations with Western powers over a renewal of the faltering 2015 nuclear deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for an easing of Western sanctions.

Following his victory, Pezeshkian appealed for unity and support from fellow Iranians.

Turnout in the latest round of voting was 50% – higher than the first round last week, when the turnout was the lowest since the Islamic revolution in 1979 amid widespread discontent, but still considerably low.

Widespread discontent meant that millions of people boycotted the elections.