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Ahmadinejad, Chief Rival Both Claim Victory

Voting runs extra 3 hours to accommodate volume

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 12, 2009 1:00 PM CDT

(Newser) – Both leading candidates for Iran’s presidency are trumpeting victory after Iranians swarmed the polls, forcing them to remain open an extra 3 hours, Reuters reports. Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad each claimed some 60% of the vote. Meanwhile, President Obama applauded the election, which he said heralded “robust debate” and a “possibility of change” in Iran, the AP reports. “You’re seeing people looking at new possibilities.”

“Whoever ends up winning the election in Iran, the fact that there’s been a robust debate hopefully will help advance our ability to engage them in new ways,” Obama said. Turnout was expected to reach about 70%.

Iran's former reformist President Mohammad Khatami, casts his ballot for the presidential elections in Tehran today.
Iran's former reformist President Mohammad Khatami, casts his ballot for the presidential elections in Tehran today.   (AP Photo)
An Iranian woman holds her identity card aloft as she waits in line to cast her vote at the Ershad mosque in northeastern Tehran today.
An Iranian woman holds her identity card aloft as she waits in line to cast her vote at the Ershad mosque in northeastern Tehran today.   (AP Photo)
Leading challenger and reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi uses his inked finger to flash the victory sign, after casting his vote with his wife Zahra Rahnavard, unseen, in Tehran.
Leading challenger and reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi uses his inked finger to flash the victory sign, after casting his vote with his wife Zahra Rahnavard, unseen, in Tehran.   (AP Photo)
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clasps his hands during his final election campaign rally in western Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, June 10, 2009.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clasps his hands during his final election campaign rally in western Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, June 10, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
An Iranian citizen, right, settled in Herat, puts his fingerprint on a ballot paper for casting his voting at the Consulate General of Iran in Herat province, west of Kabul, today.
An Iranian citizen, right, settled in Herat, puts his fingerprint on a ballot paper for casting his voting at the Consulate General of Iran in Herat province, west of Kabul, today.   (AP Photo/Fraidoon Pooyaa)
An Iranian couple living in Turkey cast their ballots at a polling station in Iran House in Ankara, Turkey, today.
An Iranian couple living in Turkey cast their ballots at a polling station in Iran House in Ankara, Turkey, today.   (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Forderon
Jun 13, 2009 5:14 AM CDT
There go those "Country First" Republicans again!
Riffran
Jun 13, 2009 1:00 AM CDT
funny...I listen to plenty of talk radio......and not one of them has said anything positive about imadinnerjacket.......please provide a reference to prove your veracity
Snarfeh
Jun 12, 2009 7:00 AM CDT
Meanwhile, neo-cons are already making comments about how they hope Imightbidonajob stays in power. Said neo-con nazi Michael Rubin to neo-con nazi Kathryn Jean Lopez, "it might be better for Ahmadinejad to win, because a loss might give Obama the impression that diplomacy was working." He is actually rooting for the bad guy even to the point of wishing he could vote for him. Why do these numbnuts want WWIII so badly? They can always rapture by shooting themselves, dammit.

'Unprecedented' turnout
BBC

The scene at the polls
New York Times

 
Iran • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • president • voting • election • President Obama • Iranian election • victory • Mir Hossein Mousavi

 
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