(VOVWORLD) - Polls opened in Iran on Friday for a run-off presidential election, which is a tight race between low-key lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.
 Women vote in the run-off presidential election between Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili in Tehran, Iran, July 5, 2024. (Photo: Reuters) |
The final result will be announced on Saturday, although initial figures may come out sooner.
The run-off follows a ballot last week with historic low turnout, when over 60% of Iranian voters abstained from the snap election for a successor to Ebrahim Raisi, following his death in a helicopter crash.
The election coincides with escalating regional tension due to the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as increased Western pressure on Iran over its fast-advancing nuclear program.