'Magnificent': Spokesman hails growing turnout of Iranians overseas in election runoff
The spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry says the participation of Iranian nationals living abroad in the presidential election runoff has increased compared to the first round.
"Reports from ambassadors and heads of Iranian missions abroad indicate that the turnout of Iranians overseas during this election period has been magnificent," Nasser Kan'ani told reporters on Friday in Tehran.
The embassies and Iranian missions also report that conditions have been favorable for Iranians abroad to take part in the elections, with no significant issues so far, he said.
The nation's turnout enhances the nation's authority on both regional and international stages, he said, hoping that this strong participation will usher in a new era of strengthening the country's influence and power.
Iranian nationals in Germany go to the polls to cast their votes in Iran’s presidential election run-off. #IranVotes2024 pic.twitter.com/Rm2rDCq8VH
— Iran Election 2024 (@PressTVElection) July 5, 2024
Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time in each country hosting a polling station. Iran's foreign ministry has organized some 344 stations across the globe to draw the votes of some 10 million eligible Iranian voters who live abroad.
According to data from the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Iranians Abroad, the distribution of Iranians living abroad is as follows: 30 percent in the US, 12 percent each in Turkey and Canada, approximately 10 percent each in the UK and the UAE, and 6.5 percent in Germany.
Smaller proportions of Iranians, 2.4 percent each, live in Sweden and Australia, while France is home to around 2 percent of the Iranian expatriate community.
Iranians in the Iraqi city of Kadhimiya cast their ballots in Iran's presidential election run-off. #IranVotes2024 pic.twitter.com/Y6whnv70Lr
— Iran Election 2024 (@PressTVElection) July 5, 2024
Most states have cooperated with Iranian authorities to set up polls, except for Canada.
Iranians in Canada go to US border
The head of the overseas election committee said on Friday that Iranians living in Canada can cast their votes at two polling stations on the border with the United States.
"Due to the obstructions by the Canadian government, two polling stations in Buffalo and Seattle have been set up, like the previous round, to collect Iranians' votes," Alireza Mahmoudi said.
Last week, some Iranians in Canada traveled for "almost a day" to reach the polling stations at the US border, he added.
Mahmoudi named New Zealand as the first country in which polls opened on Friday, noting that the 30 polling stations in the United States will be the last ones to close on Friday night.
The second round of voting comes after the June 28 election where Masoud Pezeshkian and Saeed Jalili were the leading candidates, but neither won a majority.
Initial results are expected to be announced on Saturday.
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