TEHRAN, June 17 (UPI) -- Iran presidential elections kicked off Friday as voters choose among seven candidates, including ex-president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
The race is basically pitting reformists against conservatives.
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Iranian supreme spiritual guide Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said after casting his vote "we hope that the large participation of the Iranian people in the vote will lead to the election of a person and government capable of solving Iran's problems and meet its needs."
The Iranian News agency quoted Khamenei as saying "a wide public participation will be tantamount to a referendum on Iran's Islamic system."
If no single candidate gets a large majority, a second round of voting will be carried out.
