First-time Voters, Women Show High Turnout In Election

Tehran, June 14, IRNA – The first time voters, 16-year old youngsters and women have reportedly eye-catching presence in the 11th presidential and the 4th municipal councils elections underway. People are standing in queues to cast their votes at some 60,000 polling stations arranged across the country. The Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the six presidential candidates, and senior officials are among the voters. Some 51 million Iranians are eligible to vote, according to the Interior Ministry. The six candidates are President of the Expediency Council’s Center for Strategic Research Hassan Rouhani, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, Secretary of Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former telecom minister Mohammad Gharazi. Former Majlis speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel and former First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref announced withdrawal. The next president will replace the incumbent chief executive Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served for two consecutive terms (2005-12)./end