Iran holds first parliament election since 2022 protests; low turnout likely

The Times of Israel reports: “Iran on Friday held the country’s first parliamentary election since the mass 2022 protests over mandatory hijab laws after the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, with questions looming over just how many people will turn out at the polls.

Iranian officials and even Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have urged the public to cast ballots, but polling stations in the country’s capital, Tehran, appeared to see few voters.

Authorities have largely barred politicians calling for any change within the country’s theocracy, known broadly as reformists, from running in the election — leaving mostly only a broad slate of conservative or hardline figures.

Iran’s economy continues to stagnate under Western sanctions over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and the country’s arming of militia proxies in the Middle East and Russia in its war on Ukraine…”

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