TEHRAN - In an interview with reporters on Monday, Mohsen Eslami, the spokesperson for the election headquarters, provided details on the parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections held on March 1. 

Eslami announced that as results show, 45 seats in the 290-seat parliament will be decided in the run-off elections. He said candidates who have failed to win less than 20 percent of the votes will be competing again in the spring to determine who will win the vacant seats. 

According to the election law, two candidates will compete for each remaining seat.

However, all 88 seats for the Assembly of Experts were filled in the Friday elections.

In terms of voter participation, 48% were women and 52% were men, with 85% using their national ID cards to vote. This year for the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran allowed voters to use various identification documents to vote. Before the latest round of elections, people were only allowed to cast votes by identification booklets (Shenasnameh). 

Eslami shared insights into the composition of the newly elected members of the parliament: 52 individuals aged 30 to 45 represent 21% of the assembly, 135 individuals aged 45 to 60 make up 55%, and the remaining members, aged 60 to 75, form the composition of the future legislative body. 

Moreover, 37% of the winners hold doctoral degrees, 58% master's degrees, and the rest have theological qualifications. Among them, 103 have served as representatives, while 143 are new to this position.

The competition was mainly between three political factions. 

While the exact percentage that each faction has won is yet to be determined, the existing lists show that all political factions fielded candidates.

Two principlist groups, a moderate faction and independents competed in the elections.

Also, electronic voting took place in Qom, Rasht, Khomein, Malayer, and Abadan for the first time, boasting good accuracy, precision, and speed.

Iranians showed resilience against seditions

The Secretary of the Assembly of Experts on Tuesday emphasized the resilience of the Iranian people against propaganda campaigns targeting the Friday elections. Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati urged the country’s officials not to take people’s support for granted and act concertedly to tackle national issues. 

Ayatollah Jannati decided not to compete for a new term in the Assembly of Experts. He, however, will continue to serve as the secretary of the Guardian Council.