MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The turnout in the Iranian presidential election surpassed 50 percent with more than 30 million people having already cast the ballots, local media reported.
The high turnout urged the authorities to extend the voting until 10:00 p.m. local time (17:30 GMT) while initially the elections had to end at 6:00 p.m.
Over 63,000 polling stations opened in Iran on Friday for more than 56.4 million people eligible to vote.
Iranians have a choice between four candidates this year: incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Ayatollah Ebrahim Raeisi, former Vice President Mostafa Hashemi-Taba, and head of the Islamic Coalition Party’s Central Council Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim.
The candidate, who receives over 50 percent of votes, will become the next Iranian president. In case no candidate crosses the threshold, Iran will have to hold another round of election a week later.
