March 2nd, 2012
03:40 AM ET

Iran votes in first nationwide poll since 2009 anti-regime protests

Iranians headed to the polls Friday in a parliamentary election marking the first nationwide poll since the disputed 2009 vote triggered massive protests.

About 3,400 candidates are vying for 290 seats in the parliamentary election.

Iran faces an escalating international outcry and western sanctions over its nuclear program, prompting leaders to call for a higher voter turnout to establish legitimacy.

In Iran, elections are heralded by the revolutionary regime as a popular demonstration that it enjoys the overwhelming support of the population.

But the poll marks the first time Iranians are voting since allegations of rigging in the 2009 presidential elections triggered mass street demonstrations against the regime.

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Filed under: Politics • World
soundoff (6 Responses)
  1. leeintulsa

    they showed the ayatollah casting his vote on tv. there's one for 'status quo'..

    March 2, 2012 at 10:07 am | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Yeah, kind of pointless anyway, when everyone knows who *really* rules over in Iran.

      March 2, 2012 at 10:12 am | Report abuse |
  2. bobcat (in a hat) ©

    Yeah, I was going to say the same thing. What is the sense in having a vote ? Kinda like putting a harness on the horse and no cart to pull.

    March 2, 2012 at 11:23 am | Report abuse |
  3. saywhat

    Why ? if people go to the polls in Iran we don't like it, if they don't we don't like it. At least we see a large turn out and the feeling is that the sentiment is against the hardliners.
    When CIA staged the ouster of premier Mussadaq's democratic govt to install the notorious dictator the Shah, we kept quiet and that over time paved the way for the revolution that brought in the Ayatollahs.
    Let the Iranian people chose their own destiny.

    March 2, 2012 at 12:01 pm | Report abuse |
    • bobcat (in a hat) ©

      The thing is that them voting is more of a symbolic gesture than anything. I guess when they vote, it's supposed to make them feel like they're in a democratic society. But in the end, the ayatollah is going to have the final say. So what does it matter ?

      March 2, 2012 at 6:08 pm | Report abuse |
  4. saywhat

    It does matter @ bobcat because the Iranians have shown they are capable of changing regimes if they get down to it.
    This process of elections should continue.
    In the final analysis it doesn't matter what you or I think, its the people there and its their country.

    March 2, 2012 at 10:54 pm | Report abuse |
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