Saeed Jalili right and Masoud Pezeshkian are vying for the position of president of Iran in a run off vote on Friday AP Photo

Iranians Vote In Presidential Runoff

Iranians cast their votes on Friday in a presidential runoff election, choosing between two vastly different candidates.

Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist, and Saeed Jalili, a hardline former nuclear negotiator, are vying for the top spot.

Pezeshkian, a cardiac surgeon and longtime member of parliament, is seen as a moderate who advocates for improved ties with the West.

Jalili, on the other hand, is a conservative who has taken a tough stance on relations with Western countries.

The race is close, with Pezeshkian winning the first round with 10.41m votes against Jaliliโ€™s 9.47m votes.

The election turnout for the first round was the lowest ever for an Iranian election, at 39.96 percent.

The winner of the election will replace President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash in May.

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