Iranian voters headed to the polls for an early presidential election on Friday, with four candidates competing for the presidency. The outcome remains uncertain due to divisions within the conservative camp, while a reformist candidate hopes to capitalize on the split to make a breakthrough.

 

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced the start of the 14th presidential election in a televised speech.

 

Around 61 million voters are invited to cast their ballots at 58,640 polling stations spread across the country, from the Caspian Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf in the south.

 

Voting began at 8 AM local time (04:30 GMT). This election was organized swiftly following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19.

 

The election has garnered significant international attention, as Iran plays a pivotal role in numerous geopolitical crises, from the aggression on Gaza to the longstanding tensions over its nuclear program with the West.

 

The four candidates, all men in their fifties or sixties, are vying for the presidency.

 

If no candidate secures an absolute majority, a second round of voting will take place on July 5, a scenario that has only occurred once since the Islamic Republic's founding 45 years ago, in 2005.

 

Initial vote estimates are expected on Saturday, with official results due by Sunday at the latest.