Reformist candidate extends lead in Iran’s presidential election

Reformist candidate for Iran’s presidential election Masoud Pezeshkian is greeted by his supporters as he arrives to vote at a polling station in Shahr-e-Qods near Tehran, Iran (Vahid Salemi/AP)

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian’s lead against hard-liner Saeed Jalili widened early on Saturday to more than two million votes as counting continued in Iran’s presidential run-off election.

Supporters of Mr Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon and long-time politician, entered the streets of Tehran and other cities before dawn to celebrate as his lead grew over Mr Jalili, a hard-line former nuclear negotiator.