Iran’s hard-liners are leading in an initial vote count in the capital Tehran, state media reported Saturday, following a record-low turnout in a parliamentary election. State-run IRNA news agency and state TV said 1,960 from 5,000 ballots in Tehran had been counted so far, based on an Interior Ministry report updated hourly.
Quick Read
- Early Results Favor Hard-liners: Initial vote counts in Tehran show Iran’s hard-liners leading, following a parliamentary election marked by a historically low voter turnout.
- Low Voter Turnout: Preliminary reports suggest a 41% voter turnout, slightly lower than the 42% turnout in the 2019 elections, which was already the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
- Parliamentary Control: Hard-liners, who have dominated the Iranian parliament for two decades, are known for their anti-Western sentiments, frequently vocalizing “Death to America” during sessions.
- Power Dynamics: While the Iranian parliament plays a significant role in governance, including oversight of the executive branch, ultimate authority resides with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- Election Context: This election is the first since the 2022 protests ignited by Mahsa Amini’s death, leading to widespread calls for regime change and a brutal government response resulting in over 500 deaths and thousands of arrests.
The Associated Press has the story:
Hard-liners are leading in vote count in Iran’s parliamentary election
Newslooks- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —
Iran’s hard-liners are leading in an initial vote count in the capital Tehran, state media reported Saturday, following a record-low turnout in a parliamentary election.
State-run IRNA news agency and state TV said 1,960 from 5,000 ballots in Tehran had been counted so far, based on an Interior Ministry report updated hourly.
Officials have not yet released turnout figures from Saturday’s election. However, IRNA said it was 41%, based on unofficial reports.
In the last parliamentary election in 2019, only 42% of eligible voters cast a ballot in what was considered to be the lowest turnout since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Hard-liners have controlled the parliament for the past two decades — with chants of “Death to America” often heard while in session.
Under Iranian law, the parliament has a variety of roles, including overseeing the executive branch and voting on treaties. In practice, absolute power in Iran rests with its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Friday’s election was the first since the bloody crackdown on the 2022 nationwide protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
Amini, 22, died on Sept. 16, 2022, after her arrest by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s strict headscarf law forcing women to cover their hair and entire bodies.
The protests quickly escalated into calls to overthrow Iran’s clerical rulers. In the severe clampdown that followed, over 500 people were killed and nearly 20,000 arrested, according to human rights activists in Iran.
