This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36178276

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Iran elections: Reformists set to take control of parliament Iran elections: Hardliners lose parliament to Rouhani allies
(about 2 hours later)
Moderates and reformists are poised to take control of parliament in Iran after strong gains at run-off elections, early results suggest. Run-off elections have given moderates and reformists a working majority in the Iranian parliament for the first time in more than a decade.
Preliminary results show politicians allied with reformist President Hassan Rouhani won half of the 68 seats being contested on Friday. Supporters of President Hassan Rouhani won 42% of the total seats - short of an outright majority but comfortable enough to pass his legislative plans.
With the support of independents, they are assured of a working majority, a BBC correspondent reports. Independents took nearly 30% and many of them are said to be reform-minded.
February's first round gave them 106 of the parliament's 290 seats. Hardliners won just under a third of seats in a humiliating performance, a BBC correspondent reports.
In the run-off, held in constituencies where no candidate had won the minimum 25% of the vote, Rouhani allies took 34 seats and hardliners 12, early results indicate. The run-off was held on Friday in constituencies where no candidate had won the minimum 25% of the vote at the first round in February.
On the same basis, most of the remaining seats went to independents, with four still to be declared. Official results are expected on Sunday. The results are regarded by many as an endorsement of the nuclear agreement that the government of President Rouhani signed with the US and other world powers to curtail Iran's nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international sanctions.
The preliminary results mean that reformists are poised to wrest control of parliament from hardliners for the first time since 2005. Rouhani can be happy - analysis by Kasra Naji, BBC Persian
They are an endorsement of the nuclear agreement that the government of President Rouhani signed with the US and other world powers to curtail Iran's nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international sanctions, BBC Persian's Kasra Naji reports. President Hassan Rouhani will look at the results of the run-off elections with a good deal of satisfaction. The moderate and independent candidates have dwarfed his hard-line opponents.
This is in spite of the fact that the economic benefits of the agreement have been slow in coming, our special correspondent adds. Many of the independents are generally believed to be supporters of the government. This means he will have little trouble in the next parliament, which is due to start work in less than a month from now.
His first priority, according to his Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, is the introduction of bill to guarantee citizens' rights - a major step, he hopes, that will improve human rights in the country and the rule of law.
But he still faces other centres of power that are in the hands of the hardliners, who may block his every effort to steer Iran towards moderation.
'Issue by issue''Issue by issue'
In February, reformists also made gains in elections for the Assembly of Experts, which appoints the country's most powerful official, the Supreme Leader.In February, reformists also made gains in elections for the Assembly of Experts, which appoints the country's most powerful official, the Supreme Leader.
Dr Sanam Vakil, an associate fellow at Britain's Chatham House think tank, said the swing power of independent lawmakers would make for combative politics in Iran.Dr Sanam Vakil, an associate fellow at Britain's Chatham House think tank, said the swing power of independent lawmakers would make for combative politics in Iran.
"It's going to be issue by issue," she told Reuters news agency."It's going to be issue by issue," she told Reuters news agency.
"I don't think we should expect a group of independents to be supportive of any political, social and cultural liberalisation.""I don't think we should expect a group of independents to be supportive of any political, social and cultural liberalisation."
Analysts say that although the parliamentary elections are not expected to herald large-scale changes in Iranian policies, they could help President Rouhani push through economic and social reforms.Analysts say that although the parliamentary elections are not expected to herald large-scale changes in Iranian policies, they could help President Rouhani push through economic and social reforms.