Iran authorities extend election by two hours, urging public to vote amid low turnout

Iran’s election authority has extended the polling time by two hours until 8 p.m. local time, as per tradition in the country.

Authorities say the extension comes after more voters turned up at polling stations late Friday. Successive extensions are expected until nearly midnight.

Many Iranians did not turn out to vote earlier today because it is a weekend in the country and because of the hot weather. Many voters reportedly cast their ballots in the evening in previous elections.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman condemned US “interference” in its domestic affairs, after the US Deputy Special Envoy for Iran Abram Paley said that today’s election was not expected to change Iran’s direction.

“As the Iranian regime prepares for its presidential elections, the US unfortunately has no expectation of free and fair elections or fundamental change in Iran’s direction,” Abram Paley said in a series of posts on his X account on Wednesday.

Earlier today, a former Iranian opposition leader said he was boycotting the election.

Zahra Mousavi, the daughter of former opposition leader and Iran’s last prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, said in her Instagram account that her parents have said they are not voting after being asked by security officials if they need a ballot box to be taken to their residence.