Iran: Hassan Rohani leads early poll results

Moderate cleric Hassan Rohani took a commanding lead ahead of conservative rivals in Iran's presidential election, according to initial results, but his tally appeared narrowly insufficient to avoid a second round run-off on June 21. Hassan Rohani votes 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Yalda Moayer) iranian election woman watches ballot cast 390 (photo credit: REUTERS) iranian election man in line 390 (photo credit: REUTERS) iranian election men in line 390 (photo credit: REUTERS) iranian election women in line 390 (photo credit: REUTERS) iranian election men voting 390 (photo credit: REUTERS) iranian election 390 (photo credit: REUTERS) Khamenei casts vote Iran elections 390 (photo credit: REUTERS/Fars News/Hassan Mousavi) Rafsanjani votes Iran elections 390 (photo credit: REUTERS/Fars News/Mehdi Marizad) Line to vote Iran elections 390 (photo credit: REUTERS/Fars News/Ashraf Tabatabaeii) With about 5 percent of the votes counted, the former nuclear negotiator appeared to have benefited from a late surge in support among liberal Iranians attracted by his progressive policies.Under the election rules, a candidate has to win more than 50 percent of the total votes cast to win outright. A first round winner gaining less than that must compete with the runner-up in a second round a week later.> Rohani has about 45 percent of the votes so far.Voting was extended by several hours at polling stations across the country on Friday as millions of Iranians turned out to cast their ballot in the first presidential race since a disputed 2009 contest led to months of political unrest.Of the 1,819,984 votes counted so far, Rohani received 834,859, with his closest competitor, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, getting 320,562 votes, an election official announced live on state television.In third place was Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, with 257,822 votes, followed closely by Mohsen Rezaie, a former head of the elite Revolutionary Guard, with 214,368 votes.Trailing the field were former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati with 106,144 votes, and little-known former minister Mohammad Gharazi with 25,324 votes.Authorities had earlier estimated a turnout of over 70 percent.Millions of Iranians voted to choose a new president on Friday, urged by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to turn out in force to discredit suggestions by arch foe the United States that the election would be a sham.The 50 million eligible voters had a choice between six candidates to replace incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Having been vetted by Iran's electoral authorities, none is seen a challenge to the Islamic Republic's 34-year-old system of clerical rule.Polling stations closed five hours later than planned in the capital Tehran because of what Iranian state media reported were large queues of people waiting to cast their vote. Voting was extended by four hours across the rest of the country.The first presidential election since a disputed 2009 contest led to months of unrest is unlikely to change rocky ties between the West and the OPEC nation of 75 million, but it may bring a softening of the antagonistic style favored by Ahmadinejad.World powers in talks with Iran over its nuclear program are looking for any signs of a recalibration of its negotiating stance after eight years of intransigence.Voting in the capital Tehran, Khamenei called on Iranians to vote in large numbers and derided Western misgivings about the credibility of the vote."I recently heard that someone at the US National Security Council said 'we do not accept this election in Iran'," he said. "We don't give a damn."On May 24, US Secretary of State John Kerry questioned the credibility of the election, criticising the disqualification of candidates and accusing Tehran of disrupting Internet access.All the remaining contenders except current chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili have criticized the conduct of diplomacy that has left Iran increasingly isolated and under painful economic sanctions.REVOLUTIONARY VALUESAfter casting his vote, Jalili said: "Everyone should respect the name that comes out of the ballot boxes and the person people choose," according to ISNA news agency.Hossein, a 27-year-old voter in Tehran who belongs to the hardline Basij volunteer militia, said he would vote for Jalili, 47, Khamenei's national security adviser and a former Revolutionary Guard who lost a leg in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war."He is the only one I can trust to respect the values of the revolution ... He feels and cares for the needy," Hossein said.On the other end of the political spectrum, many liberal-minded Iranians backed Hassan Rohani, the only cleric in the race. Though a moderate conservative, he has courted support from reformists by offering a more progressive policy agenda."I am a reformist and at best he is only a moderate but I voted for him because he is the best we have got at this point," said Sara who cast her vote in northern Tehran.The Guardian Council, a state body that vets all candidates, barred several hopefuls, notably former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of the Islamic Republic's founding fathers seen as sympathetic to reform, as well as Ahmadinejad's close ally Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie.This narrowing of the field prompted concerns of a low turnout which the supreme leader sought to counter."What is important is that everyone takes part," Khamenei said. "Our dear nation should come (to vote) with excitement and liveliness, and know that the destiny of the country is in their hands and the happiness of the country depends on them."INFLEXIBLE STANCEOf five conservative candidates professing unwavering obedience to Khamenei, only three are thought to stand any chance of winning the vote, or making it through to a second round run-off in a week's time.Nuclear negotiator Jalili, who advocates maintaining a robust, ideologically-driven foreign policy, is seen as the main conservative contender.The other two, Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and former foreign minister Velayati, have pledged never to back away from pursuing Iran's nuclear program but have strongly criticized Jalili's inflexible negotiating stance.Rohani has also defended Iran's nuclear rights but stressed the importance of working constructively with world powers to alleviate the effects of sanctions.The opposition Kaleme website said Rohani's campaign headquarters had sent a letter to the Guardian Council urging it to remove the name of Mohammad Reza Aref - a reformist candidate who dropped out this week in favour of Rohani - from ballot papers. The complaint said voting slips in some polling stations carried Aref's name and this could create confusion.With no reliable opinion polls in Iran, it is hard to gauge the public mood, let alone the extent to which Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards exert their influence over the ballot. But indications pointed to a surge of excitement among voters.

Iran: Hassan Rohani leads early poll results

About half of votes cast in Islamic Republic's presidential election so far go to reformist, Hassan Rohani; estimates show Jalili contending in third place; voting extended due to high turnout.

The Midnight Dispatch

Iranian-Kurdish opposition camp hit by rocket near Iraq

Damascus nuclear handover shows Israel must boost diplomacy