Voting for Iran’s 14th presidential election ended at midnight after 16 straight hours, said the spokesman of Iran’s Election Headquarters, Mohsen Eslami.

He made the remarks in a live interview with Iran’s state-run IRIB TV, noting that although the polling stations’ doors were closed, people who had come before the end of the voting process and were waiting for their turn, could still cast their ballots.

The voting began at 8:00 a.m. Friday local time at about 58,640 polling stations across the country, with four candidates vying for the top position at the country’s executive branch.

The candidates were Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the parliamentary speaker; Saeed Jalili, the former top negotiator for nuclear talks; Mostafa Pourmohammadi, a former interior minister and justice minister; and Masoud Pezeshkian, a former health minister.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cast the first ballot at a polling station and made a brief speech calling for the unity of the Iranian people during the election.

The voting was initially scheduled to end at 6:00 p.m. local time, but was extended three times, with each extension lasting for two hours.

Over 61 million people were eligible to vote in the election, according to Iranian authorities.

A total of 344 polling stations were set up in more than 95 countries around the world for Iranians to cast their votes, the official news agency IRNA reported.

Eslami said the counting process at the stations would begin upon making sure that the very last voter had cast his vote, adding the winner should collect an absolute majority of the votes, or at least 50 percent plus one vote, otherwise the run-off would be held next Friday between the two top candidates.

In remarks during a televised interview on Thursday, Mohammad-Taqi Shahcheraghi, head of Iran’s Election Headquarters, said efforts would be made to announce the election’s results before Saturday noon.

Iran’s 14th presidential election, initially set for 2025, was rescheduled following the unexpected death of President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage in a helicopter crash on May 19.

Source(s): CGTN

Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer has shared the ambitious multilateral agenda of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration with the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres. This discussion took place during Minister Zameer’s visit to New York City as part of his itinerary in the United States.

In the meeting, Minister Zameer emphasised the importance of building on the momentum from the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4). He highlighted the crucial role of the UN System in achieving sustainable development, peace, and security, and praised the Secretary General for his continuous efforts to uphold the UN Charter.

Secretary General Guterres acknowledged the leadership role of the Maldives at the SIDS4 Conference and other multilateral forums, particularly in climate change and financing for development. He reiterated the UN’s commitment to supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals and ensuring global peace and security.

Minister Zameer was accompanied by the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the UN, Ambassador Dr. Ali Naseer Mohamed, Secretary for Bilateral Affairs Dr. Hala Hameed, Senior Undersecretary Hassan Hussain Shihab, and Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Maldives to the UN, Naufa Rushdi.

In another meeting with the Under Secretary General of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Li Junhua, discussions focused on how the Maldives can collaborate with the UN DESA to enhance resilience, productivity, and capacity.

Minister Zameer also engaged with the Maldivian community in New York and New Jersey over evening tea, assuring them that maintaining and enhancing consular services is a high priority. He hosted a working lunch for tour operators and travel advisors based in New York, providing an overview of the Maldivian tourism industry and stressing the importance of promoting Maldives tourism in the US market.

Furthermore, Minister Zameer met with the Ambassador of Palestine to the UN, Riyad Mansour, and reiterated the Maldives’ solidarity with Palestine and their right to self-determination. He called for an immediate end to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and expressed support for the admission of Palestine as a full UN member.

Minister Zameer’s US visit began in Washington, D.C., where he held meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power, the US Council on Foreign Relations, and several congress members. He also met with the Maldivian community residing in Washington.

Source(s): PsmNews

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan has condemned acts of bribery within uniformed bodies, emphasizing that such behavior is unacceptable and constitutes a betrayal of the nation. His remarks were made during a press conference addressing the recent arrests of Maldives Correctional Service officers for allegedly accepting bribes and violating the law.

Minister Ihusaan stressed that individuals who apply for positions within uniformed bodies, which demand the highest level of integrity, do so voluntarily and must remain loyal and honest in their service to the nation. He highlighted the importance of integrity, stating that officers should uphold the nation’s values as long as they are in their positions.

The minister pointed out that if officers face obstacles to performing their duties with integrity and honesty, or if they are denied their rights, there are mechanisms within each institution to seek assistance. He reiterated that no officer is coerced into joining enforcement bodies, and thus there is no justification for betraying the nation.

Minister Ihusaan stated that officers who accept bribes are not true officers but criminals. He urged officers to avoid any causes that might lead to betrayal. To deter such practices, he announced plans to strengthen the training of enforcement agencies.

Additionally, the Minister mentioned that an investigation would be conducted to understand why such actions by officers are not being adequately addressed. The investigation aims to identify and rectify any lapses in the system to prevent future occurrences of bribery and corruption.

Source(s): PsmNews