Polls opened in Iran on Friday for a presidential election following the recent death of ultraconservative president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month.
Approximately 61 million Iranians are eligible to vote in this election, where reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, aged 69, aims for a breakthrough victory amidst a divided conservative field.
The Guardian Council, responsible for vetting candidates, permitted Pezeshkian to run against prominent conservatives such as parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.
Also in contention is cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi, following the withdrawal of two ultraconservatives, Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani and Raisi’s former vice president Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi.
“We are commencing the elections,” announced Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi in a televised address marking the start of Iran’s 14th presidential ballot.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cast his ballot early and urged Iranians to participate actively, emphasizing the importance of high voter turnout. “Election day is a day of joy and happiness for us Iranians,” he remarked in a televised speech.
Polling stations, totaling 58,640 across the country mostly in schools and mosques, opened at 8:00 am (0430 GMT) and will remain open for 10 hours, with the possibility of an extension.
Early results are expected by Saturday morning, with official results following by Sunday. A second round, scheduled for July 5 if no candidate secures 50 percent of the vote, would be only the second runoff in Iranian electoral history after 2005.
Masoud Pezeshkian’s candidacy has rekindled hopes among Iran’s reformist camp, contrasting years dominated by conservative and ultraconservative factions. Former reformist president Mohammad Khatami praised Pezeshkian as “honest, fair, and caring.”
While some Iranian expatriates have called for a boycott, Khamenei reaffirmed that the next president must uphold the principles of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and foster independence from foreign influence while maintaining international relations.
During campaign debates, Saeed Jalili criticized previous moderate leaders for signing the 2015 nuclear accord, which promised sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Iran’s nuclear program but was later abandoned by the US.
Pezeshkian advocates for salvaging the nuclear agreement and lifting sanctions to address Iran’s economic challenges, posing questions about Iran’s relationship with the United States.
The issue of compulsory head covering for women emerged during the campaign, reflecting ongoing societal debates sparked by incidents like the death of Mahsa Amini, which led to protests against strict dress codes.
All candidates in televised debates expressed concerns about the treatment of women who defy these rules, with Pourmohammadi condemning harsh enforcement.
The outcome of this election will shape Iran’s domestic policies and its stance in global affairs amid heightened tensions with Israel and the United States.
