Many forgo presidential vote in Iran

A voter fills out her ballot papers Friday at a polling station in Tehran during the Iranian presidential election.
(AP/Vahid Salemi)
A voter fills out her ballot papers Friday at a polling station in Tehran during the Iranian presidential election. (AP/Vahid Salemi)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iranians voted Friday in a presidential election dominated by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's hard-line protege after the disqualification of his strongest competition, fueling apathy that left some polling places largely deserted despite pleas to support the Islamic Republic.

Polling by state-linked organizations, along with analysts, indicated that judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi -- who already is under U.S. sanctions -- was the front-runner in a field of four candidates. Former Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati is running as the moderate candidate but hasn't inspired the same support as outgoing President Hassan Rouhani, who is term-limited.

As night fell, turnout appeared far lower than in Iran's presidential election in 2017. At one polling place in a mosque in central Tehran, a Shiite cleric played soccer with a young boy as most of its workers napped in a courtyard. At another, officials watched videos on their phones as state television blared beside them, offering only tight shots of locations around the country -- as opposed to the long, snaking lines of past elections.

Iran's state Fars News Agency reported that as of 5 p.m. Friday, a holiday in Iran, 14 million people had voted, representing 23% of eligible voters.

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Balloting came to a close at 2. a.m. today, after the government extended voting to accommodate what it called crowding at several polling places nationwide. Paper ballots, stuffed into large plastic boxes, were to be counted by hand through the night, and authorities said they expected to have initial results and turnout figures this morning at the earliest.

"My vote will not change anything in this election. The number of people who are voting for Raisi is huge, and Hemmati does not have the necessary skills for this," said Hediyeh, a 25-year-old woman who gave only her first name while hurrying to a taxi in Haft-e Tir Square after avoiding the polls. "I have no candidate here."

Iranian state television sought to downplay the turnout, pointing to the Gulf Arab sheikhdoms surrounding it that are ruled by hereditary leaders and the lower participation in Western democracies. After a day of amplifying officials' attempts to get out the vote, state TV broadcast scenes of jam-packed voting booths in several provinces overnight, seeking to portray a last-minute rush.

But since the 1979 revolution overthrew the shah, Iran's theocracy has cited voter turnout as a sign of its legitimacy, beginning with its first referendum that won 98.2% support that simply asked whether or not people wanted an Islamic Republic.

The disqualifications affected reformists and those backing Rouhani, whose administration reached the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and saw it disintegrate three years later with then-President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the accord. Iran's already-ailing economy has suffered since, with double-digit inflation and mass unemployment.

Former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, also blocked from running, said on social media he'd boycott the vote.

The probability of a hard-line victory had set off an urgent debate among reformists, as well about whether to boycott. In recent days, a more militant faction advocating for a boycott has been threatening Iranian voters online. On Friday, members of this faction were publishing pictures of voters' faces on Twitter and calling them "mercenaries."

"Expose and shame them by sending us their videos," one Twitter user wrote.

Voter apathy also has been fed by the devastated state of the economy and subdued campaigning amid months of surging coronavirus cases. Iran has suffered one of the deadliest outbreaks in the world. Poll workers wore gloves and masks, and some wiped down ballot boxes with disinfectants.

UNDER SANCTIONS

If elected, Raisi would be the first serving Iranian president sanctioned by the U.S. government even before entering office over his involvement in the mass execution of political prisoners in 1988, as well as his time as the head of Iran's internationally criticized judiciary -- one of the world's top executioners.

It also would put hard-liners firmly in control across the government as negotiations in Vienna continue to try to save the tattered deal meant to limit Iran's nuclear program at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium to its highest levels ever, though it still remains short of weapons-grade. Tensions remain high with both the U.S. and Israel. Israel is believed to have carried out a series of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well as assassinating the scientist who created its military atomic program decades ago.

Whoever wins election is likely to serve two four-year terms and thus could be at the helm at what could be one of the most crucial moments for the country in decades -- the death of the 82-year-old Khamenei. Speculation already has begun that Raisi might be a contender for the position, along with Khamenei's son, Mojtaba.

Khamenei cast the first vote from Tehran, urging the public to "go ahead, choose and vote."

"You all should come," Khamenei said. "No one should say that nothing will happen with my one vote."

When Hemmati, the moderate in the race, showed up to vote, the sidewalk outside the polling station at the Hosseinieh Ershad religious institute suddenly crackled to life.

"Your views are useless for this country," one heckler shouted at Hemmati, holding up his phone to immortalize the moment.

"You're the hope of our nation," a woman yelled to the candidate, trying to drown out the heckler.

Front-runner Raisi, wearing a black turban that identifies him in Shiite tradition as a direct descendant of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, voted at a mosque in southern Tehran. He acknowledged in comments afterward that some may be "so upset that they don't want to vote."

"I beg everyone, the lovely youths, and all Iranian men and women speaking in any accent or language from any region and with any political views, to go and vote and cast their ballots," Raisi said.

LOW TURNOUT

There are more than 59 million eligible voters in Iran, a nation of more than 80 million people. The state-linked Iranian Student Polling Agency has estimated turnout will be 44%, which would be the lowest since the revolution. Officials gave no turnout figures Friday, though results could come today.

Fears about a low turnout have some warning that Iran may be turning away from being an Islamic Republic -- a government with elected civilian leadership overseen by a supreme leader from its Shiite clergy -- to a country more tightly governed by its supreme leader, who already has final say on all matters of state and oversees its defense and atomic program.

"This is not acceptable," said former President Mohammad Khatami, a reformist who sought to change the theocracy from the inside during eight years in office. "How would this conform to being a republic or Islamic?"

For his part, Khamenei warned in a speech Wednesday of "foreign plots" seeking to depress turnout. A flyer handed out on the streets of Tehran by hard-liners echoed that and bore the image of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020. A polling station was set up by Soleimani's grave Friday.

"Despite all the shortages and shortcomings, we love our nation, and we will defend it to the last drop of blood," said Marziyeh Gorji, 34, who works in a government office and said she had voted for Raisi because of his ties to revolutionary figures and his experience. "The people are upset, I understand that. But not voting is not the solution."

She motioned to her 5-year-old twin sons, who wore buttons featuring Soleimani's face. "I will raise them to be like Gen. Soleimani," she said.

"We cannot leave our destiny in the hands of foreigners and let them decide for us and create conditions that will be absolutely harmful for us," said Tehran voter Shahla Pazouki.

"We didn't vote because of Hemmati himself," said Milad, 34, a bank employee who went to the Hosseinieh Ershad polling station to vote for Hemmati. Like many voters, he declined to give his full name out of fear of speaking openly about politics.

"We voted because we wanted to show the other side that there is still a voice of opposition in Iran. A weak voice of opposition is better than no voice at all."

But many Tehran residents said that even if they had more choice in the matter, previous elections all ended the same way no matter the winner -- with prices and rents shooting up, employment falling and pessimism taking hold.

Voting "is useless," said Ali Hosseini, a 36-year-old unemployed resident in southern Tehran. "Anyone who wins the election after some time says he cannot solve the problem of the economy because of intervention by influential people. He then forgets his promises, and we poor people again remain disappointed."

Information for this article was contributed by Jon Gambrell of The Associated Press; by Kareem Fahim of The Washington Post; and by Vivian Yee of The New York Times.

Demonstrators speak Friday with a member of the Fulton County sheriff’s office in front of a polling place in Sandy Springs, Ga., for Iranian Americans taking part in Iran’s presidential election.
(AP/Ron Harris)
Demonstrators speak Friday with a member of the Fulton County sheriff’s office in front of a polling place in Sandy Springs, Ga., for Iranian Americans taking part in Iran’s presidential election. (AP/Ron Harris)
Voters cast their ballots for the presidential elections at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iranians voted Friday in a presidential election dominated by a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after authorities disqualified nearly all of his strongest competition, leading to what appeared to be a low turnout fueled by apathy and calls for a boycott. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Voters cast their ballots for the presidential elections at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iranians voted Friday in a presidential election dominated by a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after authorities disqualified nearly all of his strongest competition, leading to what appeared to be a low turnout fueled by apathy and calls for a boycott. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
This combination of four photos shows candidates for the June 18, 2021, Iranian presidential elections from left to right; Abdolnasser Hemmati, Mohsen Rezaei, Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Ebrahim Raisi. Iranians will vote Friday on who should be the country's next president amid tensions with the West over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers. (AP Photo)
This combination of four photos shows candidates for the June 18, 2021, Iranian presidential elections from left to right; Abdolnasser Hemmati, Mohsen Rezaei, Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi and Ebrahim Raisi. Iranians will vote Friday on who should be the country's next president amid tensions with the West over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers. (AP Photo)
Ebrahim Raisi, a candidate in Iran's presidential elections waves to the media after casting his vote at a polling station in Tehran, Iran Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Ebrahim Raisi, a candidate in Iran's presidential elections waves to the media after casting his vote at a polling station in Tehran, Iran Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
A voter casts his ballot for the presidential election at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iranians voted Friday in a presidential election that a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seemed likely to win, leading to low turnout fueled by apathy and calls for a boycott. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
A voter casts his ballot for the presidential election at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iranians voted Friday in a presidential election that a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seemed likely to win, leading to low turnout fueled by apathy and calls for a boycott. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani casts his ballot for the presidential elections at the Interior Ministry in Tehran, Iran, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani casts his ballot for the presidential elections at the Interior Ministry in Tehran, Iran, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
In this picture released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrives to vote at a polling station at Imam Khomeini mosque in his residence compoand, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. A portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini hangs at left. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
In this picture released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrives to vote at a polling station at Imam Khomeini mosque in his residence compoand, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. A portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini hangs at left. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
Women register to vote in the presidential election at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Women register to vote in the presidential election at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Voters register to cast their vote during the presidential election at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Voters register to cast their vote during the presidential election at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 18, 2021. Iran began voting Friday in a presidential election tipped in the favor of a hard-line protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fueling public apathy and sparking calls for a boycott in the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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