Ahmadinejad wins Iran's presidential election

• Source: Xinhua
• [15:25 June 14 2009]
• Comments

Iran's incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has won a landslide victory in the 10th presidential election, securing a second term of presidency for the next four years, Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said on Saturday afternoon.

Ahmadinejad has won 62.63 percent of the total votes counted, while reformist candidate Mir-Housein Mousavi got 33.75 percent of the total votes, the minister said.
The hotly contested presidential election started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0330 GMT) Friday and closed at 22:00 p.m. (1730 GMT) after being extended for several times.

Some 39 million out of 46.2 million eligible voters cast their ballots and the voter turnout is a record high 85 percent.

Shortly after the closing of polling stations on Friday night, Mousavi called a press conference, claiming himself as "definite winner" in the presidential election.

File photograph taken on June 2, 2009 shows Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flashes a victory sign in Tehran, capital of Iran. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has won a landslide victory in the 10th presidential election, securing a second term of presidency for the next four years, Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said on Saturday afternoon. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

But a few minutes later, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) announced that incumbent president Ahmadinejad has won the majority of votes.

"By getting more than 75 percent of votes in the rural areas of the country, Ahmadinejad determinately wins the election," IRNA said.

Iranian Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli(R) announces the result of the presidential election during a press conference in Tehran, capital of Iran, June 13, 2009. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has won a landslide victory with a 62.63 percent of the total votes counted in the 10th presidential election.(Xinhua/Zhang Ning)
 

Local people said the feverish election campaign and high turnout of voters were never seen in all previous presidential elections since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

There are 46.2 million eligible voters for this year's presidential election. A total of 45,713 ballot boxes have been set up in cities, towns and villages nationwide.

Iran's incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad casts ballot in the presidential election at a polling station in Tehran June 12, 2009. Iran held presidential election on June 12. (Xinhua Photo)