High turnout in Iran's elections signal great expectations in post-sanctions era

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei casts his ballot in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 26, 2016. Elections for Iran's parliament (Majlis) and Assembly of Experts kicked off at 8 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) on Friday. (Xinhua/Iran Supreme Leader Office)

TEHRAN, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Large numbers of voters lined up in long queues in front of the polling stations in Iran's major cities since early Friday morning to cast their ballots in two key elections.

The elections for Iran's Parliament (Majlis) and Assembly of Experts started at 8 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) with Khamenei casting his votes.

Over the past days, Iranian political leaders have repeatedly called on people for their active participation in votes of the Parliament (Majlis) and Assembly of Experts' to decide on the future of the country.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani urged all eligible Iranian voters to go to the polls, saying that doing so will "disappoint" enemies and boost "national sovereignty."

Besides, Rouhani said upon casting his vote that "today's election is an embodiment of the country's political independence as well as the national sovereignty."

"If before the Islamic revolution (in 1979) the foreigners decided for the country, following the revolution over the last 37 years, these are the Iranians who decide for their country at the ballot boxes," Rouhani said.

High turnout was anticipated as the clim

Source: Xinhua