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Reformist Hassan Rouhani still leads Iranian presidential elections

15 June 2013 07:38 (UTC +04:00)

APA reports quoting Fars news agency that Iran's election headquarters announced on Saturday that Rouhani has 2,720,144 votes out of a total of 5,211,245 counted.

His main rival Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has secured 903,389 votes.

Iran's chief negotiator and Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Saeed Jalili has won 679,524 votes ranking 3rd in the race for the Islamic Republic's presidential post so far.

The election headquarters said former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Mohsen Rezayee Mir-Qaed stands 4th with 536,725votes.

Iran's former foreign minister and Supreme Leader's Senior Advisor for International Affairs Ali Akbar Velayati has gained 305,529 votes ranking 5th in the race, and former Iranian oil and telecommunications minister Seyed Mohammad Qarazi has so far come last with 65,934 ballots cast in his favor.

Voting started for the 11th presidential elections across the country at 08:00 hours Tehran time (at 08:30 hours Baku’s time). Voting will last 10 hours and end at 6 pm, but it could be extended if necessary. There are 50 483 192 eligible voters in Iran. 130 000 ballot boxes have been set up in 60 000 polling stations. Iranian citizens living abroad may cast ballots in 5 continents, 96 countries and 128 offices. 290 ballot boxes have been set up in this regard. Iranian citizens should submit their identification cards to vote. The polling stations have been set up at Iran’s Embassy in Baku for the Iranian voters. 421 journalists from 39 countries will light Iran's presidential elections. Under the election law, a presidential candidate must obtain more than 50 percent of the votes in the initial round to win outright. Otherwise, the two top candidates will face each other in a second round of voting on June 21.

The Iranian Interior Ministry will publicize the results of the elections, following this the Guardian Council will confirm the results. The president in Iran is elected for four years.