Iran Election LIVE: Millions Voting to Elect a New President

Millions of Iranians are heading to the polls today to elect a new president to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The government has placed severe restrictions of the media to ensure centralized control of the flow of information. 

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called on all Iranians "who want to support their country" to turn out "even if... they don't want to support the Islamic ruling establishment." 

To learn more about the main candidates click to check out this interactive guide to the six remaining candidates for the June 14 election. 

Candidate Profiles (via the Guardian):

Hasan Rouhani, 65, is the only cleric running for office in Iran’s presidential race but is seen as a pro-reform moderate figure.

Mohammad Gharazi, 72, is a former oil minister who is running as an independent candidate seeking to improve Iran’s financial crisis by bringing inflation under control.

Mohsen Rezaee, 59, is sympathetic to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but is running as an independent. He is seen as a moderate anti-west candidate.

Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, 52, the moderate mayor of Tehran, is strongly allied with the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In his speeches, Ghalibaf has tried to win the support of reformists and hardline conservatives.

Ali Akbar Velayati, 68, is seen as a conservative figure who sympathises with Khamenei’s views and his allies in the Revolutionary Guards. Velayati said recently that he would seek to solve the Syrian crisis with help from the west should he take office.

Saeed Jalili, 48, the head negotiator for Iran's nuclear program is believed to the most anti-west candidate.

Iran's presidential candidates (l-r clockwise from top left) Ali Akbar Velayati, Hassan Rowani, Saeed Jalili, Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, Moshen Rezai and Mohammad Gharazi.  Photo: AFP