Iran's Presidential Candidates Cast Vote

Tehran, June 15, IRNA - Six presidential candidates joined people in casting their votes for 11th presidential and 4th city and rural council elections which began throughout Iran Friday morning. After casting his votes, former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati urged Iranians to cast their votes in the elections and stressed that people’s votes are reaffirmation of the Islamic Republic system. President of the Expediency Council’s Center for Strategic Research Hassan Rohani also cast his ballot this morning, calling on people to have active presence in the elections and in all political scenes. He underlined the need for reinforcing the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, Mohammad Gharazi, the former telecommunications minister, described June 14 as a national day and said the real winner of the elections is the Iranian nation. Whoever wins the race shoulders a great responsibility, he added. After casting his ballot, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also emphasized that the candidate who achieves victory should be respected by all. Another presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei, who is also Expediency Council Secretary, urged a high turnout in the elections and called upon all Iranians to play an active role in determining their fate. Saeed Jalili, the Supreme National Security Council Secretary, also called for a high turnout in the elections and stressed that all people should respect the one who is elected. The 11th presidential and 4th city and rural council elections are held in some 60,000 polling stations inside Iran and in 96 world countries. Some 51 million Iranians are eligible to vote in the presidential election Former Majlis speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel and former first vice president Mohammad Reza Aref withdrew their candidacies earlier this week./end