Voting begins for Iran’s 2 major elections
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cast his vote at a polling station in the Iranian capital Tehran immediately after the voting began.
TEHRAN: Voting for Iran’s 12th parliament and sixth Assembly of Experts began at 8:00 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) Friday at about 60,000 polling stations across the country.
More than 15,000 candidates are competing for 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, while 144 candidates are vying for positions at the eight-year-term Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that oversees the activities of Iran’s supreme leader, and is empowered to designate and dismiss the supreme leader.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cast his vote at a polling station in the Iranian capital Tehran immediately after the voting began.
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi told reporters in Tehran that there are 59,000 polling stations nationwide.
A total of 61.17 million people are eligible to vote in the two elections, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency.
The voting will end at 6:00 p.m. (1430 GMT) local time, but will be extended if necessary.
Iran’s Constitutional Council Spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif said Wednesday that 230,000 Iranians have been trained to monitor and observe the polling stations, adding that 250,000 forces will be responsible for security in the elections.
-Xinhua
