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| Iran polls vote count under way | Iran polls vote count under way |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Vote counting is under way in Iran after parliamentary elections which conservatives are expected to win after many reformists were barred. | Vote counting is under way in Iran after parliamentary elections which conservatives are expected to win after many reformists were barred. |
| Partial results from 32 of the 290 seats at stake showed candidates allied to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad leading, the Associated Press reported. | Partial results from 32 of the 290 seats at stake showed candidates allied to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad leading, the Associated Press reported. |
| Hardliners were set to win 19 seats, reformists eight and moderate conservatives five, the agency said. | Hardliners were set to win 19 seats, reformists eight and moderate conservatives five, the agency said. |
| Many candidates opposed to Mr Ahmadinejad were barred from standing. | Many candidates opposed to Mr Ahmadinejad were barred from standing. |
| An Iranian official claimed that turnout had been as high as 65%, the BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran reports. | |
| But our correspondent says that polling stations in the capital were not busy, and many people said they felt there was nothing or no-one to vote for. | |
| IRANIAN POLL Eighth parliamentary election since 1979 revolution43 million eligible voters290 seats from 30 provincesAbout 40% of those who applied to stand disqualified by the Guardian Council Analysis: Election foretoldIran in facts and figuresIn pictures: Iran votes | |
| The Iranian authorities had called for a big turnout to defy the US and other countries they say are Iran's enemies. | The Iranian authorities had called for a big turnout to defy the US and other countries they say are Iran's enemies. |
| The election will shape the political map ahead of 2009's presidential poll. | The election will shape the political map ahead of 2009's presidential poll. |
| President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flew in from an Islamic summit in Senegal to cast his vote. | President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flew in from an Islamic summit in Senegal to cast his vote. |
| He said the world had chosen Iran as its "role model and saviour". | He said the world had chosen Iran as its "role model and saviour". |
| Real winners | Real winners |
| The reformists seem to have given up the fight after many of their candidates were disqualified on the grounds of alleged lack of loyalty to Islamic values, says our correspondent. | The reformists seem to have given up the fight after many of their candidates were disqualified on the grounds of alleged lack of loyalty to Islamic values, says our correspondent. |
| It is Iran's eighth parliamentary poll since its 1979 Islamic revolutionThey made up the bulk of about 1,700 candidates barred from running by Iran's Guardian Council - an unelected body of clerics and jurists that vets election candidates. | It is Iran's eighth parliamentary poll since its 1979 Islamic revolutionThey made up the bulk of about 1,700 candidates barred from running by Iran's Guardian Council - an unelected body of clerics and jurists that vets election candidates. |
| The Guardian Council has denied bias. | The Guardian Council has denied bias. |
| Analysts expect the poll's real winners to be former members of the hardline Revolutionary Guards, who could replace the Muslim clergy as the biggest force in the assembly. | Analysts expect the poll's real winners to be former members of the hardline Revolutionary Guards, who could replace the Muslim clergy as the biggest force in the assembly. |
| Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could also gain strength if, as forecast, a new younger generation of hard-line loyalists gains positions of power. | Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could also gain strength if, as forecast, a new younger generation of hard-line loyalists gains positions of power. |
| Going nuclear | Going nuclear |
| The likely effect of a further increase in conservative self-confidence, our correspondent says, will be even less chance of compromise over Iran's nuclear programme, and a yet more assertive foreign policy. | The likely effect of a further increase in conservative self-confidence, our correspondent says, will be even less chance of compromise over Iran's nuclear programme, and a yet more assertive foreign policy. |
| It is thought the reformists may struggle to hang on to the 40 or so seats they hold in the assembly. | It is thought the reformists may struggle to hang on to the 40 or so seats they hold in the assembly. |
| They say the election is unfair but still urged Iran's 44 million eligible voters to turn out for the country's eighth parliamentary elections since its 1979 Islamic revolution. | They say the election is unfair but still urged Iran's 44 million eligible voters to turn out for the country's eighth parliamentary elections since its 1979 Islamic revolution. |
| President Ahmadinejad's political opponents blame him for the three rounds of sanctions imposed on Iran by the United Nations over its nuclear programme. | President Ahmadinejad's political opponents blame him for the three rounds of sanctions imposed on Iran by the United Nations over its nuclear programme. |
| The US, Israel and key Western powers accuse Iran of attempting to build a nuclear bomb, but Tehran insists it is only enriching uranium for a civilian energy programme. | The US, Israel and key Western powers accuse Iran of attempting to build a nuclear bomb, but Tehran insists it is only enriching uranium for a civilian energy programme. |