As per media reports, Iran which witnessed the lowest percentage of voting, 42.6 per cent since the 1979 revolution is set to bring hardliners to power. Iran had gone for voting for the first time after the US re-imposed crippling sanctions.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s tallest leader, described the turnout as unbelievable despite the threat of coronavirus looming large. He added that the negative propaganda of the virus had begun two months before and intensified as the elections neared.
The virus outbreak however has been fatal with 43 positive cases and eight deaths. Schools and colleges across 14 provinces have been shut temporarily. Iraq, Pakistan, and Turkey have closed their borders with Iran, and Afghanistan has suspended air and road travel to and from Iran.
Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli attributed the low voter turnout to coronavirus, bad weather conditions and recent protests as well as the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane last month.
