High turnout in Iran's presidential election
Reformer, hard-liner in close race; results expected Monday
In this story:
From Correspondent Christiane Amanpour
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- High turnout was reported on Friday as Iranians voted for a successor to retiring President Hashemi Rafsanjani in a battle between conservative and moderate factions. Results are expected by Monday in Iran's first suspenseful presidential election since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
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Iran Elections Page
There was no clear-cut leader to replace Rafsanjani, a moderate who must step down in August after two four-year terms.
The former favorite is Parliament Speaker Ali Akbar
Nateq-Nouri, a conservative hard-liner backed by Iran's
clergy-led government.
But latecomer Mohammad Khatami, a reformer who wants to limit
the power of the clergy, has emerged with a real chance of
winning Friday's election. Both of the leading candidates
are 54-year-old Shi'ite clergymen.
Two other presidential contenders, Mohammad Mohammadi
Reyshahri, a former intelligence minister, and Syed Reza
Zavareie, the deputy head of the judiciary, are not expected
to get many votes.
A candidate needs a majority to win, or the top two compete
in a runoff election.
Anyone over 15 -- 33 million of Iran's 60 million people --
is eligible to vote. Iranian law requires campaigning to end
24 hours before voting begins.
The 'freedom' candidate?
Khatami, a former culture minister and candidate of a
center-left coalition, is popular among young people, who
hope he will bring a more relaxed interpretation of Islam to
the job.
On university campuses and around the country, Khatami
supporters use a word Western ears don't expect to hear in
Iran -- freedom. "Individual freedom, freedom of expression,
freedom of thought, freedom of belief," says a woman student
in Tehran.
Another student says he'll vote for Khatami "because he knows
what constitutional law says."
Khatami appeals across a broad spectrum to those yearning for
social and economic justice.
In many villages the poor say they'll vote for him.
Khatami's support also extends to intellectuals, women and
even many of Iran's more affluent citizens who usually
boycott elections. "It's the first time I feel it's my duty
to vote," one upscale Tehran woman told CNN.
Vote fraud feared
Like Khatami, Nateq-Nouri has posters on walls throughout
Tehran but supporters of the former favorite seem less
active. His rallies are sedate affairs.
"We have some problems and day by day they are being solved,"
says a Nateq-Nouri supporter.
Nateq-Nouri also has the tacit backing of Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, Iran's supreme spiritual leader.
But with no reliable public polls, each camp claims to be
ahead. About victory, Nateq-Nouri now says nothing is
certain.
Rafsanjani on Thursday rejected any possibility of fraud in
the fiercely contested election to choose his successor.
"The people can be sure that their vote will be the same as
the ballot that they wrote and put in the boxes," Rafsanjani
told Tehran radio.
His remarks were the latest assurance by authorities in the
face of rumors that officials supporting Nateq-Nouri might
use their power to influence the vote counting in his favor.
Opposition parties banned
Despite the suspense, the race is neither totally fair nor
free. While the four presidential candidates represent
different factions, they were all chosen from the ruling
establishment. In all, 238 hopefuls were screened for their
belief in Iran's Islamic system of government.
Opposition parties are banned.
"As far as they are concerned, I have not even the minimum
requirement to run for president," says opposition party
leader Ebrahim Yazdi.
Nine women who tried to run were rejected. Still, many
women -- including Shahla Sherkat, editor of Zanan magazine
-- believe Khatami will support their rights.
"Because of his principles he will treat women the same
positive way he treats any member of our society," she says.
The fact that so many Iranians have put their faith in
Khatami is interpreted by some analysts as a protest vote.
But if he wins and survives the political backstabbing and
factional infighting, then Iran may take the first small step
toward making the Islamic republic more relevant for its
people.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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