Iran presidential election live update

Iran presidential election live update
Sat May 20, 2017 00:46:07

Vote counting is expected to start in the Islamic Republic of Iran after polls closed in a presidential election that saw four candidates, including incumbent Hassan Rouhani, competing for the post.

11:04: Iran's election headquarters said Rouhani has won 22,796,468 votes of 38,914,470 ballots counted so far. His main rival Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi has secured 15,452,194 votes.

Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim has won 455,211 votes ranking 3rd in the race for the Islamic Republic's presidential post so far, while Seyed Mostafa Hashemi-Taba has gathered 210,597 votes.

A number of 56, 410,000 people were eligible to vote in the elections. 1,350,294 million youths came to be eligible to vote for the first time in their lives as the voting age in Iran is above 18 according to the law.

07:56: The Interior Ministry is set to announce partial results from the presidential election in minutes.

01:32: Official sources are reporting an above 70 percent turnout in Tehran for Iran's presidential election.

01:04: Vote counting is underway in Iran, with preliminary results expected to trickle in throughout Saturday.


00:51: Unconfirmed reports say more than 42 million votes were cast in the presidential election, indicating a turnout of over 70 percent.

00:42: Some sources are reporting that at least 40 million people took part in Iran's presidential election on Friday.

00:42: Some sources are reporting that at least 42 million people took part in Iran's presidential election on Friday.

The polls closed at 24:00 local time (1930 GMT) on Friday after voting hours were extended several times. More than 56 million people were eligible to vote in the election. Preliminary results are expected to trickle in throughout the next hours.
The main competition was between Rouhani and Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, who is the current custodian of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH) in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad.
This year’s presidential race also featured two low-key contenders - former deputy judiciary chief and member of Iran’s Expediency Council Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim, and former vice president, Mostafa Hashemi-Taba.
Two more candidates, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, dropped out of the race on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
Qalibaf withdrew candidacy in favor of Raeisi and Jahangiri pulled out in favor of Rouhani.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who cast his vote immediately after the polls opened, said, "Everyone should vote in this important election."
The 5th Islamic City and Village Council Elections were also held across Tehran on Friday.
The competition in Tehran was between reformist candidates campaigning under the slogan of “Hope”, who had aligned themselves with Rouhani, and Principlists who make up the majority in the Islamic City Council of Tehran.
Mohsen Hashemi, the son of the late Chairman of the Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, was the main figure of the Hope list.
The principlist list was led by Mehdi Chamran, the current chairman of the Council.
Any group that wins most seats in the 21-member council can decide who will be Tehran’s next mayor.

Category:
string(962) "[{"id":"1970494","sort":"4479992","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2017/05/19/alalam_636308193790729001_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Presidential election across Iran"} ,{"id":"1970686","sort":"4479989","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2017/05/20/alalam_636308664594968426_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Rouhani Leads Iran Presidential Race, Expected to Win-Source"} ,{"id":"1970711","sort":"4479990","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2017/05/20/alalam_636308704235973123_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"LIVE UPDATE: Interior Ministry Names Rouhani as Front-Runner of Iran's Presidential Election‌"} ,{"id":"1970747","sort":"4479991","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2017/05/20/alalam_636308716266536059_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"PHOTOS: Reporters Waiting in Election Committee of Iran’s Interior Ministry"} ,{"id":"1970786","sort":"4479988","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2017/05/20/alalam_636308762784128626_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Senior Official: Those Trying to Threaten Iran Main Losers of Elections"} ]"