Iranians voted Friday in parliamentary run-off elections expected to leave conservatives firmly in control because most reformist candidates were barred from running. At stake are 82 of the 290 seats in parliament, including 11 representing the capital, Tehran. In the first round, conservatives won 132 seats. But the conservatives, who are loyal to principles of the 1979 Islamic revolution, are divided between supporters of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and opponents. His supporters took 90 of the 132 conservative seats in the first round on March 14.

Reformists won 31 seats and independents won 39 seats. The remaining seats are permanently assigned to religious minorities such as Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians.

Ahead of the first round of voting, the cleric-run Guardian Council disqualified some 1,700 reformist candidates accused of insufficient loyalty to Islam and the 1979 revolution. Reformists, who call for reducing clerical powers and support greater economic and social tolerance, could only run in about half the races around the country.

Reformists say the elections are neither free nor fair because so many candidates have been prevented from running.

With inflation running at 17.8 percent annually, Ahmadinejad's management of the economy has also been an issue in the election.

"I voted for the reformists who may be able to exert more control over the government which carelessly manages the country," said Majid Nahri, a 35-year-old school teacher voting Friday in Tehran.

Candidates across the board have promised to pursue policies that will ease inflation.

"This government is helping poor people so I have to vote for its supporters," said Ahmad Javadi, 41, a taxi driver voting in Tehran.

Samira Abdollahi, a 22-year-old student in Tehran Azad University voting in a downtown mosque, said she would elect Ahmadinejad's supporters.

"He has been resisting U.S. bullying," she said.

Many claim Ahmadinejad anti-West rhetoric has brought more international pressure over the country's disputed nuclear program.The U.N Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on the country over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

State television broadcast live footage of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and Ahmadinejad voting. Both urged voters to turn out in high numbers.

Some 21 million Iranians are eligible to vote in the run-offs. In March, turnout was reported at around 60 percent when some 44 million were eligible to vote. But turnout for run-offs is traditionally lower.

In the last minutes of the campaign, conservatives sent out cell phone text messages urging "believers" to vote for their candidates.

Written By NASSER KARIMI

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