 According to a statement issued on the Web site of the Foreign Ministry, by turning out in droves, Iranians “especially in this sensitive historical era, have shown that, despite all of the conspiracies, pressures, and sanctions, and the bleak portrait painted by the media of global arrogance, they will continue defending independence and the national interest.”

However, a foreign journalist, (Laura Secor), found a polling station in Tehran (Hosseiniyeh Ershad) where she had always seen long lines of voters in previous elections, nearly empty this year.Majid Zavari, a Tehran-based political analyst, said the economy and the persistent unemployment would be pivotal issues in the election