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Iran extends the vote in the presidential elections until midnight

Iran extended this Friday until midnight the voting time of the early presidential elections after the death of the previous president, Ebrahim Raisí, in elections without a clear favorite.

“Due to the influx of citizens in the presidential elections, the voting time in all schools in the country is extended until 00:00 hours,” said the Iranian Electoral Commission, according to the IRNA agency.

Previously, the Iranian authorities had extended the initial closing time twice from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., a common practice in the elections of the Persian country.

Around 58,000 polling stations opened their doors at 08:00 in the morning, local time (04:30 GMT) throughout the country, where more than 61 million people are called to the polls.

The favorite candidates are the conservative pragmatic Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf, the ultra-conservative Saeed Jalili and the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian to succeed President Ebrahim Raisí, who died in a helicopter crash in May.

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Data from local polls point to a possible second round within a week, given that it seems that no candidate will achieve 50% of the votes.

Data from local polls point to a possible second round within a week, given that it seems that no candidate will achieve 50% of the votes.

The results are expected to be announced tomorrow, Saturday at noon.

The Iranian president has decision-making power in national matters and to a lesser extent in foreign and security policy in Iran, where the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, serves as head of state with vast powers.

As is traditional, Khamenei voted first thing in the morning in front of the television cameras and called again to participate in the elections.

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“The continuation, strength, dignity and honor of the Islamic Republic before the world depends on the participation of the people,” said the highest political and religious authority of the country.

Among the voters reigns, however, skepticism and apathy in the midst of an economy weighed down by 40% inflation, a devalued rial and 20% youth unemployment.

To this is added the disenchantment of many Iranians, especially young people, with the Islamic Republic in the face of the lack of social freedoms, especially the imposition of the Islamic veil, a hot issue since the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 after being arrested for not wearing it well, which provoked strong protests.

This apathy among the 61 million voters worries the Islamic Republic, which attaches great importance to participation in the elections as a sign of its legitimacy and popular support.

In the parliamentary elections of March, the lowest turnout was recorded in the 45 years of the Islamic Republic, when only 41% of the electorate went to the polls, while in the 2021 presidential elections they voted 48%.

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