Presidential elections started in Iran today. Polling stations opened at 08:00 Tehran time (07:30 Moscow time). The details were provided by the Head of the Election Headquarters organizing the elections, Mohsen Eslami.
According to him, the polling stations will close at 18:00 Iranian time (17:30 Moscow time). Thus, Iranians have 10 hours to vote for their candidate.
Eslami added that the work of the sites would be extended if necessary.
The Interior Minister, Ahmad Vahidi, also commented on the election process. He assured that the law enforcement system would take care of security. In total, more than 180 thousand law enforcement officers will be on duty at polling stations.
Immediately after the opening of polling stations, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei voted in the presidential elections.
"Election Day is a day of joy and happiness for us Iranians, an increase in turnout is a necessity for the Islamic Republic",
Khamenei said.
The Supreme Leader called on all voters not to miss the elections and to come to the polling stations, since the strength of the state system depends on this.
Candidates
Initially, the Council of Guardians of the Iranian Constitution admitted six candidates to the elections, but two withdrew their candidacies in favor of the conservatives. As a result, four names remained on the ballot. According to polls, three of them are in the lead, with a small margin from each other.
The following people are among them:
- a supporter of reforms, former Minister of Health and Medical Education, Masoud Pezeshkian;
- a moderate conservative, the Chairman of the Majles, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf;
- a radical conservative, Ali Khamenei's representative in the Security Council, Saeed Jalili.
The fourth candidate is the former Minister of Interior Affairs and Minister of Justice, Mostafa Pourmohammadi.
