Nigeria: Early election results in Iran show close race between reformist, hardliner — Africa Links 24

Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and hardliner Saeed Jalili are in a close race in Iran’s presidential election, according to early results, suggesting the country could be headed to a run-off vote next week.

With about 19 million ballots counted, Pezeshkian, a former health minister, had garnered around 43.5 per cent of the the vote.

Jalili, a former negotiator in nuclear talks with Western powers, followed on his heels with 37.7 per cent.

Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf…