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Iranians are voting in elections for the new Parliament and the Assembly of Experts which is the clerical body that appoints the country's supreme leader.

According to local media, high turnout is expected in a country of 80 million, where 55 million people are eligible. As the polls opened at 8:00 local time queues formed in the capital Tehran, Press TV reports.

Iranian Central Election Commission had earlier registered 4,850 candidates to participate in the parliamentary elections, while 159 candidates ran in the Assembly of Experts' election and 88 of them will be elected.

The main political forces competing to gain control of the 290-seat parliament are moderate reformists who support President Hassan Rouhani and the conservatives.

Supporters of President Hassan Rouhani, who championed the nuclear deal and is likely to seek a second presidential term, next year, are pitted against conservatives deeply opposed to detente with Western powers, Reuters reports.