Iran holds presidential election to replace Raisi

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranians on Friday cast their votes to elect a new president for the country following the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month. 

Over 60 million Iranians headed to thousands of polling stations to elect a new president. 

Moderate, ultra-conservatives and reformist candidates are vying to replace Raisi who lost his life in a helicopter crash in the country along with several other members of his cabinet. 

Candidates include Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the legislature, Saeed Jalili, former nuclear negotiator and Masoud Pezeshkian - the lone reformist running for office. 

The voting period was extended to 8pm local time by the interior ministry. 

The initial results are expected to be announced on Saturday and the official count the following day. 

If no candidate garners 50 percent of the vote, the polls will go into a run-off which will be held on July 5.