Reformists likely to take all seats in Iran’s capital

TEHRAN, Iran — Partial results released Sunday indicate that Iranian reformists will win all 30 parliamentary seats contested in the capital, Tehran, handing hard-liners an embarrassing defeat in the first elections held since last year’s nuclear deal, which appears to be propelling moderates to their best nationwide electoral showing in more than a decade.

The deal is expected to bolster moderate allies of President Hassan Rouhani, who championed it in the face of hard-line opposition. However, none of Iran’s three main political camps — reformists, conservatives or hard-liners — is expected to win a majority in the 290-seat assembly.

State TV said Sunday that reformists — who favor expanding social freedoms and improving relations with the West — are set to win all of Tehran’s seats. It said 62 percent of the capital’s votes have been counted.

The final results from the elections are expected on Monday.

Friday’s election was the first since last summer’s nuclear deal, which brought about the lifting of crippling international sanctions on Iran in exchange for it curbing its nuclear activities.

Reformists and moderate conservatives, who supported the agreement, appear poised to win a majority, which could pave the way for increased economic openness and cooperation with the West on regional issues like the war against the Islamic State group. Nearly 55 million of Iran’s 80 million people were eligible to vote; officials estimated participation surpassed 60 percent.