London, June 13 (ANI): Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has taken an "unassailable lead" in the presidential election, according to official figures.
As the official results show 52-year-old Ahmadinejad would be back for a second term, his supporters began pouring on to the streets of the capital city Tehran.
Hardliner Ahmadinejad registered a thumping victory in Iran's fiercely contested presidential race, which is a major upset for his moderate rival.
The Iranian Election Commission said Ahmadinejad had won 18.8 million votes out of 28.9 million votes counted so far. This is compared with just 9.3 million votes for the moderate opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, SKY News reported.
Official estimates of a maximum 80 percent turnout out of 46.2 million eligible voters mean Mousavi could not close the gap even if he were to win all remaining votes.
"Ahmadinejad, by getting a majority of the votes, has become the definite winner of the 10th presidential election," state news agency IRNA declared.
However, his main challenger Hossein Mousavi, who pledged to improve relations with the outside world during the election campaign, also declared himself the victor, suggesting a tense battle lay ahead.
Ahmadinejad won 65 percent of the vote against more than 32 percent for war-time premier Mousavi, with almost 90 percent of ballot boxes counted, said election commission chief Kamran Daneshjoo, highlighting the massive turnout. (ANI)
As the official results show 52-year-old Ahmadinejad would be back for a second term, his supporters began pouring on to the streets of the capital city Tehran.
Hardliner Ahmadinejad registered a thumping victory in Iran's fiercely contested presidential race, which is a major upset for his moderate rival.
The Iranian Election Commission said Ahmadinejad had won 18.8 million votes out of 28.9 million votes counted so far. This is compared with just 9.3 million votes for the moderate opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, SKY News reported.
Official estimates of a maximum 80 percent turnout out of 46.2 million eligible voters mean Mousavi could not close the gap even if he were to win all remaining votes.
"Ahmadinejad, by getting a majority of the votes, has become the definite winner of the 10th presidential election," state news agency IRNA declared.
However, his main challenger Hossein Mousavi, who pledged to improve relations with the outside world during the election campaign, also declared himself the victor, suggesting a tense battle lay ahead.
Ahmadinejad won 65 percent of the vote against more than 32 percent for war-time premier Mousavi, with almost 90 percent of ballot boxes counted, said election commission chief Kamran Daneshjoo, highlighting the massive turnout. (ANI)
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