Iranians go to the polls in first election test for nuclear deal with West

Polls have opened in two key elections in Iran, the first in the country since an historic nuclear deal was brokered with the West. Voting opened at 8am local time (4.30am GMT) and is set to close at 6pm, although officials say polling stations may remain open longer if necessary. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among the first to cast his vote and urged Iranians to attend polling stations, saying it was “both a duty and a right”. In a TV address, he added: “I suggest our nation to cast their votes early … they should choose their candidates wisely … a big turnout will disappoint Iran’s enemies.”

Everyone must vote. Those who love Iran, those who like the Islamic Republic, (and) those who love the grandeur and glory of Iran.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The nation’s 55 million eligible voters are casting their ballots in two separate polls. The first is to elect 290 parliamentary lawmakers, the second will see 88 clerics join the nation’s powerful Assembly of Experts, a committee which has the authority to appoint and dismiss Iran’s supreme leader. Both the parliament and assembly are currently in the hands of hardliners. Supporters of president Hassan Rouhani, who championed Iran’s nuclear deal in January, are battling conservatives who oppose improved relations with Western nations. Many candidates, both reformist and moderates, have been banned from contesting the elections by Iran’s hardline clerical vetting body.

They will continue to support the policies that have been adopted leading to the conclusion and successful implementation of the nuclear deal and this will continue

Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif believes voters will support change