Millions of Iranians are going to the polls in twin elections to elect the country’s next president and members of City and Village Councils.
Iranians are voting in a presidential contest which pits President Hassan Rouhani against a serious challenger, Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi.
Some 63,500 polling stations opened at 08:00 local time (0330 GMT) Friday for long lines which had already formed around the country where more than 56 million are eligible to vote.
Polls close at 18:00 (1330 GMT), but voting hours will most likely be extended as the country has seen in previous elections, amid expectations of a high turnout.
It is worthy to mention that Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic through his historic messages put emphasis on massive participation of people in all elections.
Imam once said in this regard as following:
I with a consummate pride thank the honored nation of Iran for its political growth and its commitment to Islam. They have established the world in all the previous referendums, particularly in presidential elections of the Islamic Republic, that the great Islamic Revolution first is a moral and spiritual revolution rather than a political and social one. This they have proved through the highest Islamic conduct and elevated spirit.
(Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol. 12, Page 127 )
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