Iran minister: Turnout in parliamentary elections 64%

Friday's elections to the Iranian parliament are the first nationally since the 2009 protests

Iran's interior minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar has said that initial figures show turnout in Friday's parliamentary elections was 64%.

Mr Najjar told state TV the high turnout meant "the great Iranian nation slapped the enemies in the face".
The preliminary figure came despite a boycott by the reformist opposition.
The elections are the first nationally since mass protests were sparked by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed election victory in 2009.
Final figures for the make-up of the new parliament are expected on Monday.
Speaking on state TV, Mr Najjar said: "The Americans, the Zionists, and the enemies of the system made some claims. People slapped them by this action."
On Friday state TV broadcast pictures from several polling stations in Tehran and the provinces, showing long queues. A commentary said the queues were a "disappointment to the bad-wishers".

Election facts and figures

• Population: 75m. Eligible voters: 48m. Minimum voting age: 18 years
• Number of seats: 290 from 30 provinces. About 60 deputies represent the 10 largest cities
• 207 constituencies with 47,000 voting stations
• First round 2 March, one quarter of votes is required to win or election goes to second round. Date unannounced
• Number of candidates before vetting: 5,395. After vetting: 3,444 ie 36% were disqualified
• 8 women and 44 clerics elected to the 2008 parliament
• Official turnout in 2008: 61%

All of the candidates had to be pre-approved by Iran's Guardian Council, which meant that the contest was effectively between different conservative factions: largely, those who support President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, and supporters of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The leaders of the opposition Green Movement have been under house arrest for over a year and were barred from taking part in the elections.
As part of an increasingly public fight between the leader and the president, even candidates favoured by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were disqualified from standing by the Guardian Council.
The Green Movement claimed that the 2009 presidential election was stolen from their candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. The government sent security forces to put down the mass protests.
This time, reformists asked their supporters to stay at home on election day.
The respective strength of the different conservative camps after this poll will define the balance of power for what may be a much more important vote - the 2013 presidential election, says BBC Iran correspondent James Reynolds.
However, the results of the elections are unlikely to change Iran's stance on its controversial nuclear programme, he adds.