TEHRAN: Reformist and moderate Iranian politicians allied with President Hassan Rouhani won second round parliamentary elections, unofficial results said Saturday, opening the door to them controlling the legislature.
The outcome, if confirmed officially, would represent a dramatic realignment in the republic, with conservative MPs likely being outnumbered by their rivals for the first time since 2004.
It would also be an implicit public vote of confidence for Rouhani, who won a landslide election victory in 2013 and went on to clinch a historic deal with world powers over Tehran’s nuclear programme that lifted sanctions.
Preliminary results also took to 17 the number of women elected — eight more than currently and the highest tally since the revolution in 1979.
