Reformist candidate leads Iran’s presidential race
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Masoud Pezeshkian, the lone reformist candidate in Iran’s snap presidential election is leading the race with a small margin but the vote appeared likely to go to a run-off, according to preliminary results on Saturday.
The preliminary results published by state media put the race between the lone reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian and the ultraconservative Saeed Jalili who garnered 5.95 million and 5.56 million votes respectively.
Over 60 million Iranians were eligible to cast their ballots to elect a new president. The voting period was extended twice by the interior ministry. At the time of reporting, only 14 million votes were counted.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, won 1.9 million votes and Mostafa Pourmohammadi nearly 112 thousand, added IRNA news agency.
The seesawing results indicate the potential run-off on July 5 will be between Pezeshkian and Jalili as none of them appears to guarantee 50 percent of the votes.
The vote is being held to replace late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died last month in a helicopter crash alongside several companions including late Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Vice President Mohammed Mokhber is serving as acting president until a candidate is elected.
The preliminary results published by state media put the race between the lone reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian and the ultraconservative Saeed Jalili who garnered 5.95 million and 5.56 million votes respectively.
Over 60 million Iranians were eligible to cast their ballots to elect a new president. The voting period was extended twice by the interior ministry. At the time of reporting, only 14 million votes were counted.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, won 1.9 million votes and Mostafa Pourmohammadi nearly 112 thousand, added IRNA news agency.
The seesawing results indicate the potential run-off on July 5 will be between Pezeshkian and Jalili as none of them appears to guarantee 50 percent of the votes.
The vote is being held to replace late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died last month in a helicopter crash alongside several companions including late Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Vice President Mohammed Mokhber is serving as acting president until a candidate is elected.