Iranians vote in runoff election

From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Friday, June 24, 2005

The national flag of Iran

Iranians are voting in Iran's first follow up run-off presidential election today as no candidate received more than 50% in last weeks election. The polls opened at 0430 UTC.

The choice is between conservative candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (now mayor of Tehran) who has promised the poor a greater share of Iran's oil revenues and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who was considered a conservative candidate in the past but now portrays himself as a reform candidate. Rafsanjani has committed himself to keeping the reforms started by outgoing President Mohammad Khatami.

Iran has a very young population and it is reported the country is divided between a more open westernized society and a return (continuation) of an Islamic society.

Regardless of which candidate wins, final outcomes are still controlled by Iran's unelected Clerical Ruling Council.

Related news

Sources