Iranians begin voting in key presidential election

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2009
By Biodun Iginla and Sunita Kureishi, BBC News – 18 minutes ago TEHRAN, Iran — Iranians began voting Friday in a crucial presidential election pitting hard-line President Mahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud Ahmadinejad against a pro-reform candidate who is more open to improving relations with Washington. The rowdy campaign reached a crescendo in the past few days with dueling rallies by supporters of Ahmadinejad and his main challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, that drew tens of thousands into the streets of Tehran. Fervent, youthful supporters of Mousavi accused the president of undermining Iran's international standing with his confrontational style and of devastating the economy. The stakes are extremely high for Iran — the new leader must decide how to respond to President Barack ObamaBarack Obama's offer for dialogue after a nearly 30-year diplomatic chill. The Obama administration is cautiously watching the vote for signs the Islamic Republic may be willing to engage, but U.S. officials have meager expectations for change. More than 45,000 polling stations around the country opened Friday morning. Voter turnout was expected to be high, and lines were long at several polling stations in the capital, Tehran, with more than 100 people waiting to vote. Other stations saw fewer crowds. At one mosque in southern Tehran, women wearing traditional long black robes lined up to cast their votes. At another station, men and women, holding their young children in their arms, placed their fingerprints on ballots. "I am happy that I could vote. I hope to defeat Ahmadinejad today," said Mahnaz Mottaghi, 23, after casting her ballot at a mosque in central Tehran. Outside the same station, 29-year-old Abbas Rezai said he, his wife and his sister-in-law all voted for Ahmadinejad. "We will have him as a president for another term, for sure," he said. State television encouraged people to vote and broadcast video footage of past elections, nationalistic songs and pictures of Iranians fighting against Iraq in the 1980-88 war. Per tradition, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali KhameneiAyatollah Ali Khamenei placed his ballot in the white box just minutes after the polls opened. Khamenei, who has the final say in all state matters, urged Iranians to vote early and remain calm. "As far as I see and hear, passion and motivation is very high among people," Khamenei told reporters. "If some intend to create tension, this will harm people," he added. Ahmadinejad voted at a mosque in eastern Tehran, the state news agency IRNA reported. He did not speak to reporters after casting his vote. Mousavi was expected to vote later Friday. Election fever took hold of Iran, intensifying dramatically over the past week. Wild, late-night street demonstrations felt more like parties, halting traffic and giving Tehran's youth a rare chance to dance in the streets. The all-night street rallies and the joyful campaign of Mousavi's supporters have rekindled the passions and hopes of reformists after Ahmadinejad's victory four years ago. Their calls are similar to the days of reformist President Mohammad KhatamiMohammad Khatami — more social freedoms, media openness and outreach to the West. The election outcome will have little direct affect Iran's key policies — including its nuclear program or possible talks with Washington — which are directly dictated by the ruling Islamic clerics. Still, the president has influence over some domestic affairs, such as the economy, and serves as Iran's highest-ranking envoy on the international stage. Ahmadinejad is believed to have wide support in the Revolutionary Guard and among Iran's ruling clerics, though neither have given public endorsements in a presidential race that has seen the sudden and unexpected rise of Mousavi, who served as prime minister in the 1980s. Mousavi has accused Ahmadinejad of attempting to whitewash the scope of Iran's problems, which include double-digit inflation and chronic unemployment and criticized the hard-line president for blackening Iran's international reputation by questioning the Holocaust and calling for Israel's destruction. The race remains too close to call, with a runoff a strong possibility. The winner needs to get 50 percent plus one of the vote on Friday; if neither does, a runoff will be held on June 19. Initial results are expected Saturday. Two other candidates are in the race: former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei and former parliament speaker Mahdi Karroubi. In the increasingly tight race, their level of support could play a swing role — with Rezaei expected to draw conservative voters and Karroubi pulling in moderates. Associated Press Writer Anna Johnson contributed to this report. POSTED BY BIODUNIGINLA AT 7:38 AM LABELS: BBC NEWS BIODUN IGINLA, IRAN, SUNIITA KUREISHI