Iran’s supreme leader votes in the presidential election, calls for high turnout

TEHRAN, June 18 — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday voted in the presidential election, urging his fellow citizens to follow suit.

According to Sputnik, the country’s polling stations will be open from 7 am to midnight local time (02.30 to 19.30 GMT). Polling stations will also open in four Russian cities – Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan and Astrakhan. Each Russian city will have one polling station.

“Even a single vote matters. The faster you do it, the better. I hope the people will be satisfied with their choice,” Khamenei said in a broadcast speech, calling the election a major challenge.

Four presidential candidates are vying for the office, including top judge Ebrahim Raisi, Central Bank chief Abdolnaser Hemmati, lawmaker Sayyid Ghazizadeh and Mohsen Rezaee, the head of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council.

Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani cannot run for the post as he is now completing his second term, the maximum permitted under Iranian law.

— BERNAMA