Iran reports high turnout just after polls open

Iran reports high turnout just after polls open
Iranian Interior Ministry has reported a massive turnout in presidential polling stations just hours after voting started on Friday morning.

Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said that some five million Iranians have so far cast their votes before mid-day Friday, which he termed 'unprecedented' in comparison with previous elections.

Mahsouli added that the final turnout for the 10th presidential election is expected to be above 70 percent.

According to the minister, no irregularities have been reported so far.

Head of Iran's Electoral Office Kamran Daneshjou also told reporters that the Interior Ministry has taken necessary measures to allow representatives of hopefuls to supervise the polling procedure.

According to Daneshjou, some thousands of ID cards have been issued for the representatives of the candidates to monitor the polling at ballot boxes.

On Friday morning, the polls opened to more than 46 eligible Iranian voters aged 18 and above to elect the next president of the country.

Iranians can vote in more than 45,000 polling stations nationwide, while 304 polls will receive Iranian expatriates in almost 130 countries including Britain, the UAE, Russia, China, Japan, and Syria. Only in the US, more than 30 polling stations will receive Iranians.

daily news world In addition to incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is seeking a second four-year term, former prime minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi, former parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi and Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei are vying for the public's votes in the closely contested election.

The winner must collect 50 percent of the votes plus one. If, however, no single candidate wins enough votes, the run-off will be held on June 19.

Longest-serving African leader still rules

French and Gabonese media reports Gabon's longest serving president Omar Bongo's death has been denied by Spanish officials.

Spain's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday, that president Bongo was still alive.

Gabonese Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong said he had met the president as he "deplored" French media for the misinformation. Ndong pledged to lodge a complaint about the 'leaks' to French authorities.

"This morning I visited the President, accompanied by the President of the National Assembly, the Foreign Minister, the head of the President's cabinet and senior members of the presidential family and after a meeting with the medical team we can confirm that the President is alive," Ndong said in a statement.

73 year old Bonogo is in Barcelona's Quiron hospital, receiving treatment for intestinal cancer undergoing a "comprehensive health check" said the Prime Minister.

Bongo came to power in 1967, imposing a one party rule until 1991. However, his party has managed to be in power regardless.

During the time that Bongo receives treatment in Spain Vice President Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge functions as acting president.

Obama invites Ahmadinejad to visit Nazi-era camp

US President Barack Obama has asked his Iranian counterpart, who says the Holocaust is a "big deception", to visit the site of the Buchenwald concentration camp.

"He should make his own visit," said President Obama who visited the site on Friday. "I have no patience for people who would deny history. And the history of the Holocaust is not something speculative."

Since taking office in 2005, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has launched a campaign to make clear ambiguities about the Holocaust, while criticizing Israel for using the issue as an excuse for its existence.

On Wednesday, Ahmadinejad reiterated his anti-Israel stance and called the Holocaust a "big deception." The Iranian president had earlier made similar comments about the historical event describing it as a "myth".

President Obama, meanwhile, noted that his great uncle helped liberate a camp of Buchenwald during World War II, Reuters reported.

The concentration camp in eastern Germany was created by the Nazis and an estimated 56,000 people are assumed to have been killed there.

Supreme Leader Hails Iran's Democratic Electoral System

TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei lauded the democratic system of holding elections in Iran, saying people's vote is of paramount importance and plays the main role in the Islamic Republic's election system.


Addressing thousands of people at the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, the late Founder of the Islamic Republic, Supreme Leader also called for a massive turnout in the upcoming presidential election, and said all the people should make efforts to protect the Islamic Revolution and thwart enemies' plots to portray Iran's elections as undemocratic.

He also cautioned the presidential candidates against slandering each other in election campaigns and debates to garner support of the people.

The 10th Presidential Election in Iran is due to be held on June 12. Four applicants have qualified to stand the upcoming presidential election, including incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi Khamene, ex-Parliament Speaker Mehdi Karroubi and Principlist politician and former chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezai Mir-Qaed.

The candidates officially started their campaign on May 22, which will last for 20 days.

The Iranian interior ministry has said the final results of the presidential election will be declared a day after the event, i.e. June 13.

Iranian officials have said that 46.2 million Iranians are eligible to vote.

Bush sees parity with 'brother' Clinton

Former US President George W. Bush says ex-President William J. Clinton never criticized him as both leaders followed similar policies in their tenures.

Speaking at their first cameo appearance in a Toronto forum on Friday, Bush refused to vilify the current US administration under President Barack H. Obama, saying he disliked it when former governments attacked his.

The two leaders rubberstamped each other's policies, agreeing that little differences existed between the two.

Bush supported Clinton's silence during the 1994 Rwanda genocide in which over 800,000 thousands Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered.

He backed Clinton's notion by admitting that the quick mobilization of 20,000 troops was not feasible at the time.

Clinton, however, acknowledged that he could save around 400,000 lives in case he took the initiative.

"It's one of the two or three greatest regrets of my presidency," he said.

Clinton for his part praised Bush for his 'diverse' cabinet picks.

Tickets for "A conversation with Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton," were sold for C$200 to C$2,500 as hundreds of opposition had staged a rally outside the heavily-guarded venue.

Commenting on the financial benefits of the forum, Bush said, "President Clinton and I used to believe in free speech …So thanks very much for coming _ we are glad you're here."

He also called Clinton a 'brother' for the amount of time he spent with the Bush family.

The comments put a new light on the true differences between the two main political parties.