Voters flock to polls in presidential election

Iran: Incumbent Rouhani faces challenge from hardliner

Iranians continued voting into the evening in the country’s first presidential election since its nuclear deal with world powers, as incumbent Hassan Rouhani looked to fend off a staunch challenge from a hardline opponent.

Election officials twice extended the voting deadline beyond the anticipated 6pm closing time to accommodate the large numbers of voters. Polls were expected to close at 10pm.

The election is largely viewed as a referendum on the 68-year-old cleric’s more moderate policies, which paved the way for the nuclear accord despite opposition from hardliners.

Economic issues were on the minds of Iran’s 56 million eligible voters as they headed to more than 63,000 polling places across the country.

The average Iranian has yet to see the benefits of the deal, which saw Iran limit its contested nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of some sanctions. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful man in Iran, symbolically cast the election’s first vote and called on Iranians to turn out in huge numbers.

“Elections are very important and the fate of the country is in the hands of all people,” he said.

After casting his ballot, Mr Rouhani said whoever the voters elect should receive all the nation’s support.

“Any candidate who is elected should be helped to accomplish this heavy responsibility,” he said. “Anyone who is elected must be helped from tomorrow with unity, happiness and joy.”

Mr Rouhani has history on his side in the election. No incumbent president has failed to win re-election since 1981, when Ayatollah Khamenei became president himself.

That does not mean it will be easy, however. Mr Rouhani faces three challengers, the strongest among them being hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi.

PROOF: A woman shows her identity card as she waits to cast her vote during Iran’s 12th presidential election, at Shah Abdol Azim mosque in Tehran

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his ballot