Moderates make gains in historic Iran elections

Credit: Reuters

Reformist candidates have apparently scored a resounding victory over hardliners in the first results from historic elections in Iran.

ITV News correspondent Rageh Omar reports that moderates appear to have taken 29 out of 30 seats in the capital Tehran - an astounding result that could see Iran further open up to the world.

President Hassan Rouhani - who was elected after pledging to open up Iran to the world - appeared to be among the big winners from the vote.

His key ally and former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani also seemed assured of winning a seat.

President Hassan Rouhani appeared to be among the big winners Credit: Reuters

Tens of millions have thronged to vote for the 290-seat parliament and the 88-member Assembly of Experts, which selects the country's supreme leader.

The elections are seen by analysts as a potential turning point for Iran.

The contests were the first since a landmark nuclear deal last year that led to the removal of most of the sanctions that have damaged the economy over the past decade.

Supporters of Rouhani, who championed the nuclear deal, were pitted against hardliners close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni, who are deeply wary of detente with Western countries.