For a presidential run-off election in Iran, the polls were opened on Friday, testing the popularity of the country’s clerical rulers amid voter apathy, regional tensions, and a standoff with the West over Tehran’s nuclear program. According to news agency Reuters, state TV informed that polling stations began operations at 8 a.m. local time, with voting set to end at 6 p.m, though extensions until midnight are common. Final results are expected on Saturday, with preliminary figures possibly released earlier.
This run-off followed a June 28 election marked by historically low turnout, with over 60% of voters abstaining after Ebrahim Raisi’s death in a helicopter crash. This low participation of the voters is seen by critics as a sign of waning confidence in the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported.
The election pits moderate lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian against hardline former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. While the outcome will not significantly alter the country’s policies, the new president is to play a crucial role in selecting a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 85-year-old supreme leader who holds ultimate authority in Iran. “I have heard that people’s zeal and interest is higher than in the first round. May God make it this way as this will be gratifying news,” Khamenei told state TV after casting his vote, as quoted by Reuters.
Khamenei expressed on Wednesday “a lower than expected turnout” in earlier voting, but said, “It is wrong to assume those who abstained in the first round are opposed to the Islamic rule”.
Iran Presidential Election: Reduction In Voter Participation
According to Reuters, critics argue that the reduction in voter turnout over the past four years shows diminishing support for the regime amid economic hardships and restrictions on political and social freedoms. The 2021 election discovered only 48% participation, while a parliamentary election in March had a turnout of 41%.
The election occurred amidst escalating regional tensions due to the conflict between Israel and Iranian allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, along with increased Western pressure on Iran over its advancing nuclear program. Amirali Hajizadeh, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander, urged people to vote, likening each vote to a “missile launch against enemies.”
The new Iranian president is unlikely to bring significant changes to the country’s nuclear policy or its support for Middle Eastern militia groups but will influence the day-to-day operations of the government and the tone of both foreign and domestic policies.
