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Conservative, reformist candidates to face off in Iran’s presidential runoff — official

Voter turnout was about 40%, the lowest level in the country’s history, according to data from Eslami

DUBAI, June 29. /TASS/. Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian and conservative contender Saeed Jalili will face off in Iran’s presidential runoff on July 5 as none of the candidates has been able to get over 50% of the vote, the country’s authorities said.

With all ballots counted, Pezeshkian received 10.4 mln votes, while Jalili garnered 9.5 mln, Mohsen Eslami, the spokesperson for Iran's Election Headquarters, told the IRIB TV channel.

The other two candidates — parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and former interior and justice minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi — gained 3.4 mln votes and 206,000 votes respectively.

Voter turnout was about 40%, the lowest level in the country’s history, according to data from Eslami.

On June 28, Iran held an early presidential election following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.

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