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| Hassan Rouhani leads Iran presidential election vote count | Hassan Rouhani leads Iran presidential election vote count |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Early results from Iran's presidential election put the reformist-backed candidate, Hassan Rouhani, in the lead. | Early results from Iran's presidential election put the reformist-backed candidate, Hassan Rouhani, in the lead. |
| Official figures give him just over half the 16 million votes counted so far - well ahead of second-placed Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. | Official figures give him just over half the 16 million votes counted so far - well ahead of second-placed Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. |
| Mr Rouhani could win in the first round if he finishes with more than 50%. | Mr Rouhani could win in the first round if he finishes with more than 50%. |
| Electoral officials said turnout was high among the 50 million Iranians eligible to vote on Friday for a successor to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | Electoral officials said turnout was high among the 50 million Iranians eligible to vote on Friday for a successor to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. |
| His eight years in power have been characterised by economic turmoil and Western sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. | His eight years in power have been characterised by economic turmoil and Western sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. |
| Surge of support | Surge of support |
| Final results are expected later in the day. | Final results are expected later in the day. |
| Preliminary figures began to emerge early on Saturday after a delay of several hours. | Preliminary figures began to emerge early on Saturday after a delay of several hours. |
| Officials at the election headquarters said that with more than 16,716,937 votes counted so far - 16,166,392 of them valid: | |
| State TV channels said the winning candidate needed more than 50% of all ballots cast, including invalid ones, Reuters news agency reported. | |
| Voting was extended by five hours on Friday evening to allow more people to cast their ballots. Iranian Press TV said turnout was 80%. | |
| Although all six candidates are seen as conservatives, analysts say Mr Rouhani - a 64-year-old cleric often described as "moderate" who has held several parliamentary posts and served as chief nuclear negotiator - has been reaching out to reformists in recent days. | Although all six candidates are seen as conservatives, analysts say Mr Rouhani - a 64-year-old cleric often described as "moderate" who has held several parliamentary posts and served as chief nuclear negotiator - has been reaching out to reformists in recent days. |
| The surge of support for him came after Mohammad Reza Aref, the only reformist candidate in the race, announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing on the advice of pro-reform ex-President Mohammad Khatami. | The surge of support for him came after Mohammad Reza Aref, the only reformist candidate in the race, announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing on the advice of pro-reform ex-President Mohammad Khatami. |
| Mr Rouhani thus went into polling day with the endorsement of two ex-presidents - Mr Khatami and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was disqualified from the race by the powerful Guardian Council, a 12-member body of theologians and jurists. | Mr Rouhani thus went into polling day with the endorsement of two ex-presidents - Mr Khatami and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was disqualified from the race by the powerful Guardian Council, a 12-member body of theologians and jurists. |
| However, Mr Rouhani faced a tough challenge from hardline candidates, including Mr Qalibaf - who is seen as a pragmatic conservative - and nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili - who is said to be very close to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. | However, Mr Rouhani faced a tough challenge from hardline candidates, including Mr Qalibaf - who is seen as a pragmatic conservative - and nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili - who is said to be very close to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. |
| The other three candidates are Mohsen Rezai, a former head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi. | The other three candidates are Mohsen Rezai, a former head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi. |
| Earlier, Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar told state TV that any presidential candidates unhappy with the results would have three days to lodge complaints to the Guardian Council. | Earlier, Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar told state TV that any presidential candidates unhappy with the results would have three days to lodge complaints to the Guardian Council. |
| 'Intimidation' | 'Intimidation' |
| After the last presidential election in June 2009, millions of Iranians took to the streets to demand a re-run, when the supreme leader dismissed claims by the three defeated candidates of widespread fraud. | After the last presidential election in June 2009, millions of Iranians took to the streets to demand a re-run, when the supreme leader dismissed claims by the three defeated candidates of widespread fraud. |
| Two of them, former Prime Minister Mir Hussein Mousavi and senior cleric Mehdi Karroubi, became leaders of a nationwide opposition known as the Green Movement, after its signature colour. | Two of them, former Prime Minister Mir Hussein Mousavi and senior cleric Mehdi Karroubi, became leaders of a nationwide opposition known as the Green Movement, after its signature colour. |
| They were placed under house arrested in February 2011 when they applied to stage a protest in support of the anti-government uprisings which were sweeping the Arab world. They are still being detained. | They were placed under house arrested in February 2011 when they applied to stage a protest in support of the anti-government uprisings which were sweeping the Arab world. They are still being detained. |
| No foreign observers monitored this year's election and there have also been concerns that media coverage in the run-up has been unfair. | No foreign observers monitored this year's election and there have also been concerns that media coverage in the run-up has been unfair. |
| Many reformist newspapers have been shut down, access to the internet and foreign broadcasters has been restricted, and journalists have been detained. | Many reformist newspapers have been shut down, access to the internet and foreign broadcasters has been restricted, and journalists have been detained. |
| On Thursday, the BBC accused the Iranian authorities of "unprecedented levels of intimidation" of BBC employees' families. | On Thursday, the BBC accused the Iranian authorities of "unprecedented levels of intimidation" of BBC employees' families. |
| It said Iran had warned the families of 15 BBC Persian Service staff that they must stop working for the BBC or their lives in London would be endangered. | It said Iran had warned the families of 15 BBC Persian Service staff that they must stop working for the BBC or their lives in London would be endangered. |
| Tehran has so far made no comment on the allegation. | Tehran has so far made no comment on the allegation. |