Election exit polls until afternoon suggest that the reformist candidate Hassan Rouhani enjoys the lead in 12 Iranian provinces while Seyed Ebrahim Raeisi, representing the priciplist camp, is ahead in the poll in 15 provinces.
Accordingly, Rouhani has so far attracted more votes in West Azerbaijan, Alborz, Ilam, Boushehr, Sistan and Balouchestan, Ghazvin, Kordestan, Kerman, Kermanshah and Yazd provinces.
Meanwhile, more people have so far voted for Raeisi in Ardebil, South Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, Khuzestan, Semnan, Fars, Qom, Kashan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Golestan, Gilan, Lorestan, Markazi and Hamedan provinces.
Mixed results have been reported for the two provinces of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari as well as the capital, Tehran.The latter, however, is usually dominated by reformist supporters.
Initial estimations also indicate that the two leading candidates have gained equal ballots in three provinces of Esfahan, Zanjan and East Azerbaijan.
In a related report, field observations of Mehr News Agency reporters across the country suggest that ballots, especially in villages and small cities, are mainly in favor of one of the presidential candidates.
Reportedly, over 32 million people have so far casted votes to elect Iran’s next president and the voting process has been extended until midnight.
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