Polling stations close in Iran – first information about Navalnaya’s rise with emotional farewell ++ Orchestra plays Sinatra’s “My Way”

After a four-hour extension, elections in Iran ended without major incidents on Friday. The nearly 60,000 polling stations across the country were open from 8 a.m. to midnight local time (5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. CET). The first results are expected this weekend. According to state media, schools will be closed on Saturday, the start of the Iranian week, due to the postponement of the elections.

According to an initial report, voter turnout was around 41 percent. As the pro-government Fars news agency reported on Saturday evening (local time), about 25 of the 61 million eligible voters cast their votes. The information cannot be independently verified. It still would be lowest election turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic after a 42.6 percent turnout in the 2020 parliamentary elections.

About 61 million people were called upon to elect a new parliament (Majles) and the Council of Experts, an influential body of Muslim clerics. Numerous critical candidates were excluded before the elections by the so-called Guardian Council. The population is disillusioned by the failed reform attempts of recent decades. Many people did not want to vote. (sda/dpa)