Presidential election - Religious leader Khamenei opens presidential election in Iran
Iran's Religious Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has opened the presidential election in Iran. The head of state cast his vote traditionally in a high-security zone in the center of the capital Teheran on Friday. In a short speech, he called for active participation of the nation. To prove the "correctness and sincerity of the Islamic Republic's system," the presence of the people is "necessary and indispensable," Khamenei said after voting in front of reporters.
Approximately 61 million voters are called upon in the Islamic Republic to elect a new government head. The polling stations are open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm local time (3:30 pm to 1:30 pm CET) with the possibility of extension. Preliminary results are expected on Saturday. The election follows the death of incumbent Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 19.
The so-called Guardian Council, a powerful Islamic oversight body, has only allowed six candidates for the election. Two contenders withdrew. The so-called fundamentalists - loyal and ultra-conservative supporters of the system - are the strongest faction. Among them, a power struggle exists between the incumbent Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and the hardliner Said Jalili. The moderate politician Massud Peseschkian is considered the most significant challenger.
In Teheran, the heart of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the religious leader and head of state, participated in the presidential election. The election, held in the Islamic Republic, saw Ayatollah urging for substantial citizen involvement, stating that the nation's presence is essential and irreplaceable for validating the Islamic Republic's system. The election, which took place amidst the absence of previous head of state Ebrahim Raisi who passed away in a helicopter crash, attracted approximately 61 million voters to elect a new leader.
