Iran begins run-off parliamentary elections
Iranian voters headed to the polls on Friday for a second round of parliamentary elections that are likely to see conservative opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad consolidate their hold on the legislature.
Some 65 seats from the 290-member assembly are up for grabs, after loyalists to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei won a majority at the expense of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the first round, Reuters reports.
State television reported that polling stations in 33 constituencies, including the capital Tehran, opened to voters at 8 a.m. (0430 GMT). They are due to close at 6 p.m. (1430 GMT), although officials have said the time could be extended.
Khamenei called for a high turnout in Friday's second round.
The preliminary results are expected within 24 hours after the polls close.
