Iranians vote to choose successor to president who died in helicopter crash

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m., and images broadcast on television showed long lines of people waiting to vote in many cities across Iran. More than 61 million people are eligible to vote for president.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his vote in Tehran on June 28.

Polling stations will close at 6 p.m. On June 9, Iran's Interior Ministry announced six eligible candidates after review by the Guardian Council from among 80 applicants. Two candidates later withdrew.

The remaining four candidates include Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, former head of the nuclear negotiating delegation Saeed Jalili, MP Massoud Pezeshkian, and former Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi.

All four leaders have pledged to revive the economy, but Pezeshkian is considered the most moderate of them, advocating for détente with the West, social liberalization, and political pluralism.

Preliminary results may gradually emerge on June 29, but the official results are expected to be announced only two days after the election.

If no candidate wins a majority of the votes, a second round of voting will take place between the two candidates with the most votes on the first Friday after the results are announced.

In 2021, only 48% of voters participated in the election, while voter turnout fell to a record low of 41% in the parliamentary election three months ago.

An Iranian woman in Kuwait casts her vote in the presidential election at the Iranian embassy in Kuwait on June 28.

The election is not expected to bring about major changes in Iranian policy, but the outcome could affect the succession of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (85 years old), who has held the position since 1989.

According to AFP, Khamenei cast his vote immediately after polling stations opened. "Election Day is a day of joy and happiness for the Iranian people. We encourage our beloved people to take voting seriously and participate," he said.

This week, the leader emphasized that the most qualified candidate must be someone who truly believes in the principles of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. According to him, the next president must help Iran develop without becoming dependent on foreign countries, although he added that Iran should not sever ties with the world.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-iran-di-bau-cu-thay-tong-thong-qua-doi-do-roi-truc-thang-185240628161956547.htm