Elections underway in Iran, as voters elect 14th president
Approximately 61 million citizens are eligible to vote to choose a new president for Iran, succeeding Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19.
Erbil (Kurdistan 24) - Polling stations in Iran opened at eight in the morning (04:30 GMT) on Friday for the early presidential elections, following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi.
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced the start of the 14th presidential elections in a televised speech.
On Thursday, at eight in the morning, the election campaign period ended, and Iran entered a period of electoral silence.
The National Election Commission called on all candidates, parties, and the public to cease promotional activities and avoid carrying promotional materials on voting day.
Approximately 61 million citizens are eligible to vote to choose a new president for Iran, succeeding Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19.
The election campaign, which began on June 12 and lasted 16 days, saw six candidates approved by the Guardian Council presenting their programs on various economic, cultural, and social issues, particularly foreign policy.
Conservative candidates Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani have withdrawn, leaving three conservative candidates: Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, former Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, and former Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi, along with a single reformist candidate, former Health Minister Masoud Pezeshkian.
Hashemi announced his withdrawal via a tweet, citing a need to support the conservative candidates and preserve unity among revolutionary forces. Observers expect the competition to focus on Jalili, Ghalibaf, and the reformist Pezeshkian.