Iran votes out of duty, hope and obligation

Tehran: Iranians queued today to vote for a successor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, many feeling a sense of national duty, others hoping for a better future and some because they thought they had to.

Mehrdad, a 22-year-old university student voting in his first presidential election, said he had rushed to his designated polling station at a mosque in western Tehran.

Some 70 people had already formed up in separate queues for men and women before polling opened officially at 8:00 am (0330 GMT).

"I'm voting because I want to be a part of building my country's future," said Mehrdad, adding that his choice was Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

"I want a president who understands the pain of the middle class," he said, arguing that conservative frontrunner Qalibaf was popular because of his track record as mayor.

Like the other five candidates, Qalibaf has pledged to fix an economy hurt by international sanctions and charges of mismanagement after eight years under Ahmadinejad.

Iran has been at loggerheads with world powers over its nuclear ambitions, which the West suspects is aimed at developing atomic weapons.

The stand-off has resulted in the imposition of harsh economic sanctions and Tehran's isolation in the international community.

Other voters, disillusioned by the situation Iran finds itself in, said they were casting a ballot out of a sense of national duty and as a way of standing up against Iran's enemies.

Standing in a long queue at a school in the upscale Shahrak Gharb area of west Tehran, a 74-year-old retired government employee said he would vote despite being "dissatisfied with the establishment".

"I believe we all have to vote to demonstrate to the world that we are united," he said. "This will force our enemies into retreat."

All political factions have called for a high turnout in Iran's first presidential poll since the disputed re-election of Ahmadinejad in 2009 sparked massive street protests that led to a deadly crackdown.

Ahmadinejad, who is constitutionally barred from standing for a third consecutive term, has been accused of mismanaging Iran's oil wealth and widening the economic gap between social classes.

A 50-year-old female worker said that she too was voting for Qalibaf as she wanted improvements on the labour market.

"I want a president who makes things better for workers," said the woman who asked that her name not be used. "I hope all his promises come true."

Six presidential hopefuls are standing in the presidential race: five from a currently divided conservative camp against one moderate candidate, Hassan Rowhani who has won the backing of marginalised reformists including ex-president Mohammad Khatami.

At a polling station in an affluent neighbourhood in the north of the capital, Elias, 48, waited among some 200 voters.

He said his choice would be Rowhani, "the most suitable candidate to run the country".

"I want him to fulfil the demands of the people in curbing inflation and rising prices," Elias said, adding that he was a Khatami supporter.

Many people refused to divulge who they were voting for. But some did admit that they felt an obligation to vote if they wanted to hold on to government jobs.

"I'm a teacher in a public school. I did not want to vote but I have to or I won't be offered a new contract next year," said 32-year-old Nicky.

State television broadcast footage of long queues at polling stations across the country where more than 50 million people are eligible to vote.

Sobhan Mohammadi, 23, said he wants Iran's next president to "solve the problems facing young people, especially those who want to get married".

"I must have a job if I want to start a family," he said.