REFILE-UPDATE 3-Iranians vote in run-off parliamentary election
Parisa Hafezi And Zahra HosseinianTEHRAN, April 25 (Reuters) - Iranians voted on Friday forIran's run-off parliamentary election which is likely to have noimpact on the conservatives' firm control of the assembly aftermany reformists were disqualified in the first round.
Conservatives won a majority of seats in the 290-memberparliament in the first round of the election in March, but in anumber of places no candidates secured enough votes to win --hence the run-off. Iranians on Friday will cast their votes toelect 82 lawmakers out of 164 candidates in 100 cities,including the capital Tehran.
Moderate opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said thevote was unfair because the unelected Guardian Council, whichscreens candidates on their commitment to Islam and Iran'sclerical system, barred many of them from running in March.
Reformists, who secured more than 30 seats in the firstround, have called for a high turn out because it would give theopposition a bigger voice. The new parliament will begin work inMay.
Parliament does not determine policy in areas such as Iran'sdisputed nuclear programme, oil or foreign affairs. It does,however, have an influence on economic policy.
The country's most powerful figure, Supreme Leader AyatollahAli Khamenei, urged Iranians to vote.
"This round is as important as the previous round ... Godwilling our dear nation ... will vote and a good assembly willbe formed," Khamenei said in a live television broadcast, votingshortly after polls opened at 8 a.m. (0330 GMT).
Polling stations are due to close at 6 p.m. (1330 GMT),although this has been extended in past elections.
Before the March vote, Khamenei who usually prefers to stayabove the political fray, called on voters to favour hardlinecandidates who supported the government.
MORE VOCAL
Khamenei has the last word on all state matters includingits nuclear programme which the West fears is a cover to buildnuclear bombs. Iran says it wants nuclear power for electricity.
Ahmadinejad said parliament played a key role in Iran.
"Parliament is very important in creating national unity andmaking decisions," Ahmadinejad said after voting.
Hardline backers of Ahmadinejad support his no-compromiseapproach to the nuclear dispute with the West, but reformistsand moderate conservatives blame him for provoking the U.N.Security Council to hit Iran with three rounds of sanctions.
Mohammad Yazdi, a 23-year-old civil engineering student,said it was his duty to vote.
"I will vote because the Supreme Leader has ordered allIranians to vote in the election," Yazdi told Reuters aftercasting his vote in an eastern Tehran polling station.
Ahmadinejad, who won the presidency in 2005 pledging toshare out Iran's oil wealth more fairly, has come under mountingpressure from the public, top clerics and the outgoing assemblyover his failure to rein in inflation, now over 20 percent.
Analysts say despite conservatives' dominance, the nextparliament will be more vocal in its criticism of Ahmadinejad'seconomic management because the conservative camp in theassembly includes not just his allies, but critics as well.
Rivals of Ahmadinejad, including former chief nuclearnegotiator Ali Larijani who secured a seat in the first round,are looking beyond this vote to 2009 presidential poll. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Matthew Jones)