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As Iranians Vote, Khamenei Assails United States Late Heavy Turnout Reported in Iran Vote
(about 2 hours later)
TEHRAN — Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, was among the first to cast a ballot in the presidential elections on Friday, and took the opportunity to denounce the United States for what he called its propagandist attempt to belittle the vote. TEHRAN — Iran’s electoral authorities reported heavy turnout in presidential voting on Friday, extending polling hours three times to accommodate what appeared to be a late surge of interest. Anecdotal evidence suggested Tehran’s mayor and a moderate cleric were garnering the strongest support compared with showings by their four conservative rivals.
“The enemies have made strenuous attempts to prevent people from coming to the polling stations through creating disappointment and pessimism,” the ayatollah said as the voting began. In interviews and nonscientific polls during the campaign, Iranians consistently said they were looking for someone to solve the country’s deepening economic problems, expand individual rights and normalize relations with the rest of the world. With anecdotal evidence seemingly confirming that they were voting that way, which could prove politically sensitive in the heavily controlled vote, state television said representatives of all six candidates had signed a statement calling for no gatherings until official results were announced.
Addressing American skepticism about the outcome, he told reporters: “To hell with you if you do not believe in our election. If the Iranian nation had to wait for you to see what you believe in and what you do not, then the Iranian nation would have lagged behind.” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, was among the first to cast a ballot, and took the opportunity to curse the United States for what he called its attempt to belittle the election and discourage voters.
He was responding to comments from Secretary of State John Kerry, who said last month in Washington that he expected no change in Iran’s nuclear policies because Ayatollah Khamenei is responsible for the program. “The enemies have made strenuous attempts to prevent people from coming to the polling stations through creating disappointment and pessimism,” the ayatollah said.
Addressing American skepticism about the outcome as he exhorted Iranians to vote, the ayatollah told reporters: “To hell with you if you do not believe in our election. If the Iranian nation had to wait for you to see what you believe in and what you do not, then the Iranian nation would have lagged behind.”
He appeared to be responding to comments from Secretary of State John Kerry, who said last month in Washington that he expected no change in Iran’s nuclear policies because Ayatollah Khamenei is responsible for the program.
“I do not have high expectations that the election is going to change the fundamental calculus of Iran,” Mr. Kerry said. “This is not a portfolio that is in the hands of a new president or the president; it’s in the hands of the supreme leader. And the supreme leader ultimately will make that decision, I believe.”“I do not have high expectations that the election is going to change the fundamental calculus of Iran,” Mr. Kerry said. “This is not a portfolio that is in the hands of a new president or the president; it’s in the hands of the supreme leader. And the supreme leader ultimately will make that decision, I believe.”
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m., and the ayatollah told reporters after he voted that the candidates do not matter, but the country does. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and were originally supposed to close at 7 p.m. but election officials repeatedly extended the hours to 10 p.m.
“I urge all to vote,” he said. It was unclear when the first results would be announced, but the warning against any gatherings beforehand was a reminder of the political delicacies of the election, which descended into protest and chaos four years ago when pro-reformist candidates accused the authorities of rigging the vote to ensure re-election of the incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He was not eligible for a third term this year.
More than 50 million eligible voters were choosing from a field of six remaining candidates who had been accepted by the conservative Guardian Council. The front-runners were widely considered to be Mayor Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf of Tehran, the nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, and a cleric, Hassan Rowhani. .
The top election official in Tehran Province, which includes the capital and is the country’s largest urban area, said he believed 70 percent of voters would cast ballots by day’s end. “The political epic that the leader expected took place,” the official, Safar Ali Baratloo, head of the Election Headquarters of Tehran, was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students’ News Agency. More than 50 million eligible voters were choosing from a field of candidates accepted by the conservative Guardian Council. If no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face each other in a runoff on June 21.
A random querying of voters at polling stations around Tehran suggested that at least three-quarters favored either the mayor or Mr. Rowhani. Very few said they were voting for Mr. Jalili, who is considered the government’s favored candidate. But voter sentiment in Tehran is not necessarily indicative of patterns elsewhere. Random interviews with voters in Tehran and other cities suggested the front-runners were Mayor Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf of Tehran and a moderate cleric, Hassan Rowhani, who appeared to attract a late burst of support from reformists who had considered boycotting the election. The nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, considered the most conservative of the other candidates, did not appear to be getting much support.
The top election official in Tehran Province, which includes the capital and is the country’s largest urban area, said he believed 70 percent of voters were casting ballots. “The political epic that the leader expected took place,” the official, Safar Ali Baratloo, head of the Election Headquarters of Tehran, was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students’ News Agency.
Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, spokesman of the Guardian Council, expressed a similar view. “According to the reports that we received, the political epic that the leader expected took place, even before extending the voting time.”
Mr. Rowhani has been promoting more freedom and rights for women, and is supported by former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, 78, who was disqualified by the council, with his age given as the official reason.Mr. Rowhani has been promoting more freedom and rights for women, and is supported by former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, 78, who was disqualified by the council, with his age given as the official reason.
Mr. Rowhani was drawing a number of votes in Geysha, a middle-class neighborhood. “He will change this country,” said Golnaz, 20, who refused to give her family name for security reasons. “We need change.”Mr. Rowhani was drawing a number of votes in Geysha, a middle-class neighborhood. “He will change this country,” said Golnaz, 20, who refused to give her family name for security reasons. “We need change.”
In 2009, Iranians in the cities voted in large numbers for two reformers, the former prime minister Mir Hussein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi. After they lost to president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, street protests lasted for months and propelled both candidates into opposition roles. They have been under house arrest for two years. In 2009, Iranians in the cities voted in large numbers for two reformers, the former prime minister Mir Hussein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi. After they lost to Mr. Ahmadinejad, street protests lasted for months and propelled both candidates into opposition roles. They have been under house arrest for two years.
In several polling stations across Tehran, a city of 12 million people, many voters said they cast their ballots for Mayor Ghalibaf, who has used Iran’s record oil income of the past decade to improve the capital’s infrastructure.In several polling stations across Tehran, a city of 12 million people, many voters said they cast their ballots for Mayor Ghalibaf, who has used Iran’s record oil income of the past decade to improve the capital’s infrastructure.
“He is a war veteran, a good manager and a religious person,” said Noushin Sobhani, 31, a gynecologist. She and her parents voted at the Imam Sadegh University, where most of Iran’s bureaucrats are trained. “We hate America,” her father said, smiling.“He is a war veteran, a good manager and a religious person,” said Noushin Sobhani, 31, a gynecologist. She and her parents voted at the Imam Sadegh University, where most of Iran’s bureaucrats are trained. “We hate America,” her father said, smiling.
In the poorer south Tehran neighborhood of Javadieh, there were no lines in front of a voting station in a Shiite religious center. “People here are angry over high prices,” said a supermarket owner, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear for his security.In the poorer south Tehran neighborhood of Javadieh, there were no lines in front of a voting station in a Shiite religious center. “People here are angry over high prices,” said a supermarket owner, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear for his security.
There were long lines in front of the bakery across the street and at a nearby A.T.M. On Thursday more than 60 million Iranians received their monthly direct cash subsidies. An older man and his grandson came to vote, but they had picked opposing candidates.There were long lines in front of the bakery across the street and at a nearby A.T.M. On Thursday more than 60 million Iranians received their monthly direct cash subsidies. An older man and his grandson came to vote, but they had picked opposing candidates.
“I vote for Jalili,” the older man said. “And I for Rowhani,” said the grandson, Reza, 29. The younger man said Iran needed change, while his grandfather preferred the nation’s confrontational foreign policy.“I vote for Jalili,” the older man said. “And I for Rowhani,” said the grandson, Reza, 29. The younger man said Iran needed change, while his grandfather preferred the nation’s confrontational foreign policy.
“Like the rest of the country, we have different opinions,” Reza said.“Like the rest of the country, we have different opinions,” Reza said.
Polling stations are expected to close about 7 p.m., but there can be extensions. Results will come in “as soon as possible,” Interior Minister Mohammad Najjar said.

Rick Gladstone and Robert Mackey contributed reporting from New York.