Iran elections: preliminary results show reformists and moderates lead race
The polls closed in Iran’s parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections at 23:45 local time (2015 GMT) on Friday after voting was extended several times due to a massive voter turnout. Some 55 million Iranians were eligible to vote in the two elections. The process of counting ballots is already underway.
Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli said it had counted 25% of the results by Saturday morning, though a final outcome is unlikely to be known before Monday. The preliminary turnout figure was 6o%, it said.
The Associated Press reports that data of its own count as well as preliminary results from Fars and Mehr agencies show that hard-liners are the main losers of the vote.
As many as 4,844 candidates were competing for a place in the 290-seat Parliament. A total of 159 others were running for the 88-member Assembly of Experts. Members of the Assembly serve eight-year terms while MPs are elected every four years.
The main political forces competing to gain control of the 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.