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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.


A L S O
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.

Nateq-Nouri

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.

Khatami

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.

women

"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.

posters

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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