Voting has been extended by two hours. Results expected tomorrow. "When we vote, we in fact vote for the constitution and the system," says Khamenei.

Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Turnout is high and voters are in a happy and jovial mood, this according to AsiaNews sources in Tehran. Unexpectedly, people are going in greater numbers to polling stations to elect the country's new president. For this reasons, election authorities have decided to extend voting hours by two hours till 9 pm (4:30 pm GMT).

Irrespective of the final outcome, today's elections are seen by many as a test of the regime's legitimacy.

State-run television showed Supreme Leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right after voting began.

"Now we have seven candidates and whomever we vote for it means that we have voted for the system," he said.

A few hours into the process, Interior Minister Abdolvahed Moussavi Lari said turnout was good and would probably lead to a run-off. Results will be available tomorrow.

Almost registered 47,000,000 voters (including all those over 15 years of age) will choose one of seven candidates allowed by the unelected, conservative Council of Guardians; one candidate withdrew on the eve of the vote whilst more than a thousand were rejected.

Three candidates are known for their conservative or ultra-conservative views; three are considered progressive; and the seventh one, Akbar Hachemi Rafsanjani, who was President from 1989 to 1997 and the current front-runner, is seen as a pragmatist: conservative but more flexible on relations with the United States and on Iran's nuclear programme.

"I voted for myself," Rafsanjani said as he was leaving the polling station in northern Tehran's Jamaran mosque, the same mosque were the late ayatollah Khomeini used to make his speeches.

"Some surveys indicate that someone might be elected in the first round. I hope so," he added.

Progressive Iranians, who have been disappointed by outgoing President Mohammad Khatami's failure to enact meaningful reforms, have placed their trust in young voters and women, hoping they would support Mostafa Moin, a former Education Minister.

Voters already confounded predictions in 1997 by electing Khatami. Now the same people are the most discouraged. But speaking today after casting his ballot, Khatami said that "the Iranian people have a habit of upsetting surveys".

He also pointed out that there were signs of voters' enthusiasm and did not exclude that someone might win on the first ballot, adding that a run-off was not a problem.

• iran
• presidential
• elections
• islam
• june
• 17
• 2005
• reforms
• democracy