According to Times of Israel, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has commented on the victory of reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian in Iran's presidential elections, casting it as a clear message of opposition to the country's Islamist leadership.
"The people of Iran have sent a clear message of demand for change and opposition to the Ayatollah regime through the elections," Katz said on X.
Katz urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Iran, calling for the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and demanding the "cancellation of the nuclear program and the cessation of support for terrorist organizations."
According to the foreign minister, these steps represent the "only chance to realize the change" that the Iranian people have signaled through the election results.
The victory of the reformist Pezeshkian is seen as a significant rebuke of the hardline policies championed by Iran's Islamist leadership. Katz's comments suggest that Israel views this as an opportunity to increase international pressure on the Iranian regime and potentially force concessions on key issues like the nuclear program and support for terrorist groups.
The call to blacklist the IRGC, in particular, reflects Israel's longstanding concerns about the influence and activities of the powerful Iranian military force. The IRGC has been accused of involvement in a range of destabilizing and violent actions throughout the region.