Final election results released by Iran’s Interior Ministry show that moderates have won a majority in parliament.
The results broadcast Monday by state TV show that reformists, who favor expanded social freedoms and engagement with the West, won at least 85 seats, while moderate conservatives won 73 seats. Together, they have a majority in the 290-seat assembly.
Hard-liners, who had adamantly opposed last summer’s landmark nuclear deal with world powers, won just 68 seats.
Iranian men take a ride on a motorcycle taxi at Hafez square in central in Tehran on February 29, 2016. (AFP / ATTA KENARE)
Five seats will go to religious minorities, and the remaining 59 will be decided in a runoff, likely to be held in April.
Iran’s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said turnout was 62 percent.
The elections were the first to be held since the finalization of the nuclear agreement, which lifted international sanctions in exchange for Tehran curbing its atomic program.
— AP
Your next read: ToI Editors' Picks
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors.
Choose between two must-reads: When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength following unthinkable tragedy;
Or Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe by Matti Friedman, the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment during World War II.
As a Community member, you’ll also enjoy our DocuNation series of outstanding Israeli documentary films, an ad-free experience of our site and podcasts, commenting privileges, and more.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 29, 2016
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
