Iranians are voting on Friday in over 1,063 constituencies for the fifth round of the Assembly of Experts and the tenth parliamentary elections.
Iran extended voting in the country's parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections by four hours on Friday after reports from across the country that more time was needed.
The polls will now close at 10:00 pm (1830 GMT), an interior ministry statement said. Long lines at polling stations in Tehran and other cities had earlier been reported and people were still queuing up to vote close to the original 6:00 pm deadline.
Iranians are voting on Friday in over 1,063 constituencies for the fifth round of the Assembly of Experts and the tenth parliamentary elections.
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, urged all those who love Iran to take part in the vote.
“I advise people from all walks of life to partake in these elections,” said Imam Khamenei, as he cast his ballot.
The elections are of prime importance and all Iranians who love their country should go to the polling stations and cast their ballots as the elections bring the country glory and dignity, IRNA quoted the supreme leader as saying.
Polling started in Iran at 8 am local time (04:30 GMT) in over 52,000 polling stations nationwide, IRNA news agency reported, adding that some 54,915, 024 Iranians are eligible to participate in the event.
Casting ballots will continue till 18:00 local time and will be extended, if deemed necessary.
Meanwhile, President Hassan Rouhani said that elections are now regarded as manifestation of political independence in the country.
Before the triumph of the Islamic revolution, the aliens were taking decision on the country's fate but in the past 37 years the Iranian people through their participation at the polling stations changed the scenario and are now making decisions on their fate, Rouhani said as he was casting his votes.
Currently, the Parliament has 290 representatives fourteen of whomrepresent non-Muslim religious minorities. Women constitute about eight percent of the Parliament members.
A total of 4,844 candidates, including about 500 women, who have been qualified from amongst 12,000 registered candidates by the Guardian Council, are taking part in the competition today to occupy parliamentary seats. At least 21 people will vie for each seat in the legislature.
The elected candidates will serve from May 3, 2016 for a four-year term.
