TEHRAN – The runoff presidential election began in Iran on Friday at 8:00 local time with the tight competition between pro-reform Masoud Pezeshkian and conservative Saeed Jalili.

Among the four candidates in the June 28 snap presidential elections, Pezeshkian won 10.41 million votes and conservative Jalili 9.47 million. However, neither of the two candidates succeeded to garner more than 50 percent of the votes.

The two candidates held two televised debates on Monday and Tuesday. The two contenders almost see eye-to-eye on certain steps needed to alleviate the economic problems. However, they differ on the implementation of the FATF and removing the U.S.-led Western sanctions on Iran.

Pezeshkian insists on the need to fully implement the FATF and adopt policies to lift the economic sanctions.  But Jalili says Iran should diversify its economic activities and not just focus on a few Western countries in its trade with the outside world. He says the Islamic Republic should make the U.S. regret its sanction on Iran.

The candidates also differ on economic policies at home. Pezeshkian says the government should allow the private sector to thrive and not interfere in the economy. However, Jalili believes in a state-controlled economy. 

They also differed on the how to achieve an eight-percent economic growth as stated in the economic development plan.

Ayatollah Khamenei casts his vote

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khameni cast his votes in the first minutes of the elections at the presence of local and foreign correspondents.

Leader told reporters that he has been informed that turnout is more than the last Friday and it is “pleasing”.

“I have heard that people’s enthusiasm is more than the first round. I hope it is so. And if it is so it is pleasing,” the Leader pointed out.

In the June 28 presidential elections the turnout was about 40 percent.