Conservatives Win 71% of Seats

Source: Alalam.ir, 15-3-2008
TEHRAN--Iran's conservatives have won 71 percent of the seats in parliament after legislative polls, according to partial results announced by Interior Minister Mostafa Pour Mohammadi on Saturday.
"More than 71 percent of the seats inside the parliament have been won by the conservatives. This number could change by two-three percent as more results come in," he told reporters.
As first results were announced, the authorities hailed a "glorious" participation of over 65 percent in Friday's poll, far higher than the figure in the previous election in 2004.
Results from smaller towns and cities were to be announced Saturday but those from Tehran -- which will deliver 30 MPs to the 290-seat parliament -- would not be announced for several days, officials said.
The main reformist coalition expects to win 44 of the seats, its spokesman Abdollah Nasseri said.
If confirmed, this would mean that reformists have managed to keep their minority in parliament, where they currently have around 40 MPs.
Over the past weeks, Iranians from different walks of life promised a high turnout in the elections, stressing that they intended to show Western countries that the Islamic Republic is unified at a time of tensions over its nuclear program.
Iranian government spokesman called the Iranian nation "a model and symbol of active public participation as well as freedom and constructive competition" during a news conference in Tehran.
Iran's former top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, standing for conservatives in the holy city of Qom, was elected to parliament in a landslide victory with 76 percent of the vote.
"Our list nationwide has been welcomed by the people and this is a sign of the trust people have in the service of the Principlists," spokesman for the main conservative coalition, Shahabeddin Sadr said.
Polls finally closed late on Friday night after being extended by several hours to cope with the number of people seeking to vote, officials said.