Voting begins In Irans run-off parliamentary election
Polls have opened for Iran’s run-off parliamentary election to determine the fate of 45 remaining seats in the 290-member legislature.
The voting began at 22 constituencies in 15 provinces at 8 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) on Friday. A total of 90 candidates compete for the remaining seats. In eight constituencies, including Tehran, this round of election is being held in an all-electronic format.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei cast his ballot at a polling station in the capital Tehran in the first minutes of voting.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei votes in the run-off parliamentary election in Tehran on May 10, 2024. (Photo by Khamenei.ir)
Ayatollah Khamenei said that every person, who wants Iran’s progress, has a national duty to take part in the election.
“The importance of the second round [of the election] is not less than the first one, and God willing, our beloved people will all participate [in the election], vote and complete the parliament,” the Leader added.
“The more votes, the stronger the parliament is, and the stronger the parliament, the more opportunities to work in the country.”
Mohsen Eslami, spokesman of Iran’s Election Headquarters, said on Thursday that the polling stations will remain open for 10 hours. He noted that the time may be extended upon the decision of the Interior Ministry.
The first round of the parliamentary election, which was held along with the Assembly of Experts vote on March 1, saw a turnout of 41 percent.
Back then, 245 candidates managed to pass the 20-percent threshold to win the ticket to the parliament.
