TEHRAN: Polling stations opened on Friday for elections to select members of parliament in Iran, official media reported, citing the interior ministry.
State run television reported that voting for the 12th term of the Parliament and the 6th term of the Assembly of Leadership Experts started after an order by the Ministry of Interior.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the first to cast his vote on Friday at the Imam Khomeini Hussainia polling station in Tehran, local media reported. Around over 61 million people are eligible to exercise their right to vote during the current elections.
The country’s last parliamentary polls in 2020 had a voter turnout of around 42.57 % the lowest since 1979. Khamenei on Friday asked people to vote and make friends of Iran happy and ill-wishers disappointed.
Candidates for parliament of Iran are scrutinized by the Guardian Council, whose members are approved by the supreme leader of Iran.
The Guardian Council has approved a total of 15,200 candidates, out of about 49,000 applicants, to contest elections.
More to be followed….
