Tehran (AsiaNews) Yesterday Iranians went to cast there votes at polls around the country to elect new Majlis (Parliament) representatives.
Iran's Majlis has a total of 290 seats, with 285 reserved for Muslims and 5 for other religious minorities: 1 for Jews, 1 for Zoroastrians and 3 for Christians.
The closing of polling stations was postponed by over 3 hours yesterday, from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. According to the Teheran Times this was "due to the massive voter turnout". However according to many analysts, this was done to avoid "an embarrassment of a low turnout."
Official figures released by Iran's Ministry of the Interior revealed that 47-52% of voters with suffrage rights (i.e. 46 million citizens over the age of 15) turned up at polling stations nationwide. Meanwhile the Council of Guardians said the voter turnout percentage was actually slightly higher: at 55% (with 30% in Tehran).
The counting of votes began today and will be completed tomorrow. Preliminary results show (at 91 of the country's total 207 polling stations) a landslide victory for conservatives, potentially gaining a 2/3 majority in the Majlis. Conservative candidates are already crying victory, especially in the traditionally conservative South where many voters came out to vote.
There was said to be a high turn out in Khozestan and Shiraz as well, while in Kurdistan and Kblushestan most voters failed to cast their ballots.
Christian sources told AsiaNews that Armenians, the largest Christian community in the country, came out to vote in the southern town of Isfahan, with 30% of voters with suffrage rights casting their ballots to elect Robert Baglarian.
Iran's Jewish community reelected Maurice Mutamad for a second term, with 2900 votes (out of 3900 voters) cast. The final count of votes will be released tomorrow in the country's major cites and capital of Tehran.
Yesterday, the country's Main Student Movement (MSM) sent emails and text messages to urge citizens to boycott elections, to not participate the so-called "funeral party". The ultraconservative Ayatollah Jannati, instead, asked citizens to turn up at polls, stating "your vote (fires a) bullet in Bush's heart". The country's highest religious authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and president Mohammed Khatami also urged citizens not to abandon the polls. (PB)