IRNA – Voting process for the Iranian presidential elections kicked off in eight provinces in Iraq on Friday.


At 8am local times (05:00 GMT), 23 ballot boxes installed in eight provinces in Iraq started to receive votes of the Iranians residing in or visiting the country.

The polling stations have been set up in Basra, Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, Saladin, Wasit, Erbil, and Sulaymaniyah.

More than 20,000 Iranian pilgrims are now in Iraq to visit the Shia Holy Shrines.

Iraq hosts the biggest number of Iranian residents after the Unites States.

The voting for Iran’s 12th presidential elections takes place in 102 foreign countries as well.

The candidates for the presidential competition are incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, Custodian of Imam Reza (AS) Holy Shrine Ebrahim Raeisi and former Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mostafa Aqa Mirsalim and former Minister of Physical Education Mostafa Hashemi Taba.

According to the Election Headquarters of the Interior Ministry, over 56 million Iranians are eligible to vote in Iran's 12th presidential elections.