The counting of votes in Iran's snap presidential election, held on Friday in the wake of Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, is currently underway.
Hard-line candidate Saeed Jalili, close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is leading by a slight margin against moderate candidate Massoud Pezeshkian.
Provisional results from Tehran's Interior Ministry show that over 14 million ballots have been counted so far.
Pezeshkian has secured over 5.9 million votes, while Jalili has garnered more than 5.5 million. The voter turnout was around 40%, one of the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The election is taking place amid growing public frustration over economic hardship and restrictions on political and social freedoms.
Additionally, Iran faces escalating regional tensions due to the conflict between Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran's presidential election features a tightly controlled group of three hard-line candidates and one low-profile moderate.
Despite Supreme Leader Khamenei handling significant state matters, including Tehran's nuclear program and militia support, the president influences domestic and foreign policy and manages daily government operations.
Eligible voters include over 61 million Iranians aged 18 and above, with about 18 million aged between 18 and 30.
Activists and opposition groups have widely used the Twitter hashtag #ElectionCircus to call for regime change.
If no candidate achieves at least 50% plus one vote, including blank votes, a run-off round between the top two candidates will occur on the first Friday after the results are declared. Jalili and Pezeshkian are likely headed for a run-off, according to media reports.
Pezeshkian, who advocates economic reform, social liberalisation, and political pluralism, has said, "We will respect the hijab law, but there should never be
any intrusive or inhumane behaviour toward women," referencing the death of Masha Amini in 2022, which sparked widespread protests in Iran.
Follow us
