Iranians have gone to the polls to elect a new president, with voting underway across the country. According to Iran's Press TV, a newlywed couple cast their vote in their wedding attire at a polling station in Imam Reza holy shrine in Mashhad.
Watch the video here:
Meanwhile, in Hazrat Masoumeh holy shrine in Qom, another newlywed couple cast their vote in their wedding attire at a polling station, a rare sight at an election.
More than 61 million Iranians over the age of 18 are eligible to vote, with about 18 million of them between 18 to 30. The presidential election, held on June 28, sees hard-line candidates vying for the top spot, alongside reformist Masoud Pezeshkian.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for a high turnout in the election, which he believes "will silence the Islamic Republic's enemies".
The president runs the country day-to-day, but real power on issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme and its foreign policy rests with the Supreme Leader, who analysts say seeks a loyal president he can trust.
The election is being held to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a recent helicopter crash, alongside Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials. The votes are expected to be counted by June 30, but if no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a runoff election will be held on July 5 between the top two candidates.
