Iranians voted on Friday to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a May helicopter crash in the country’s northwest along with the foreign minister and several other officials.
Analysts broadly described the race as a three-way contest. There are two hard-liners, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and the parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. Then there’s the reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, who has aligned himself with those seeking a return to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
After record-low turnout in recent elections, it remains unclear how many Iranians will take part in Friday’s poll.
While 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, presidents can bend Iran toward confrontation or negotiations with the West.
Currently:
- As Iran’s presidential vote looms, tensions boil over regarding a renewed headscarf crackdown.
- An analysis explores how no matter who wins Iran’s election, much may hinge for Tehran on the Great Satan,’ the United States.
- A Hamster cryptocurrency craze gripping Iran highlights its economic malaise.
- A timeline explores the longtime tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
- Iran’s imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who already called for a boycott of the vote, is been sentenced to another year in prison.
Follow AP’s coverage of the Iranian presidential election at https://apnews.com/hub/iran.
Here is the latest:
Polls close in Iran and counting begins. Initial results are expected on Saturday
Polls closed shortly after midnight on Friday across Iran, following three extensions of voting hours.
Iranian state media said those who were still waiting at the polling stations would be allowed to cast their ballots but no one else would be allowed in after that. Counting was to begin immediately, with initial results expected on Saturday, the reports said.
Earlier in the evening, as the weather cooled off a little, more people headed to vote and long lines formed outside polling stations in downtown Tehran and in southern parts of the Iranian capital.
Late voters rush to Tehran polling stations, line up to cast their ballots as voting hours are extended till midnight
Iran’s state TV says the election authority has extended voting for another two hours, until midnight, in the country’s presidential election. Under Iranian law that’s the limit polls have to close at midnight as elections should only be held in one day.
State TV showed many waiting in line to vote as more people headed to the polling stations when the weather cooled off a little in the evening. Polling stations in both downtown and in southern Tehran saw lines of people outside.
Among the late voters in downtown Tehran was Maziar Azimi, a 29-year-old car mechanic, who said he will vote for the sole reformist candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian.
He is honest and cares about the life of the people who want a calm country, Azimi said.
Maryam Ebrahim, 36, a teacher, said she voted for hard-liner Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the country’s parliament speaker, since he is able to work with everyone.
Qalibaf has been in the parliament for many years and worked with all factions, so he can manage differences, she said.
Truck driver Ahmad Zarei, 49, said he also voted for Qalibaf as he doesn’t want to see the next president drive the nation into chaos.
“Qalibaf wants to pursue a reconstruction of the country as I see it,” he added.
Iran’s former top diplomat urges those who have not voted yet to do so before it’s too late
Iran’s former foreign minister, Mohmmad Javad Zarif, has posted a video on his Instagram page after voting hours were extended on Friday, urging those who have not voted yet to do so before it’s too late.
He also appealed on them to urge their friends to also head to the polls. A higher turnout is expected to favor a reformist candidate.
Zarif, who as foreign minister helped negotiate the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, said that a bad president could make things worse.
Some say that a president
