Iranians voted in unexpectedly large numbers on Friday in the first polls since last summer’s landmark nuclear agreement and the lifting of sanctions.
The election was a key test of whether supporters of Hassan Rouhani, the president, can gain ground from conservatives and anti-western hardliners.
Voting was extended for five hours in the evening because of what state TV described as a “rush” that caused shortages of ballot papers.
Experts say a high turnout – widely predicted to hit 70% – will favour the Rouhani camp. The president himself spoke of an “epic” turnout after casting his vote.
Polling stations across Tehran were busy into Friday evening, fuelling hopes for a good result for the reformist-moderate alliance and increased support for Rouhani in the 290-seat parliament, or Majlis.
A parallel contest is taking place for the assembly of experts, a clerical body whose 88 members have to choose the next supreme leader after the 76-year-oldAyatollah Ali Khamenei.
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