Tasnim � Iran�s central board responsible for monitoring elections said only the Guardian Council is responsible for supervising the country�s elections.





"Only the Guardian Council is responsible for supervising Iran�s elections," the board said in its first statement on Friday.

It further stressed that no person or organization has the right to interfere in the process of supervising the polls.

Iran is simultaneously holding the 12th presidential election and the 5th City and Village Council elections on May 19.

There are four candidates seeking presidency in the polls, including incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, Ebrahim Raisi, Mostafa Hashemitaba, and Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Sadeq and Hossein Tala were introduced as representatives of Rouhani and Raisi to the central board, respectively.

Polling stations across Iran opened on Friday morning for the elections.�63,429 polling stations across Iran opened at 8 am local time on Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli�s order. Around 14,000 mobile ballot boxes have been also prepared for inaccessible and rural areas.

A run-off would be held a week later if none of the candidates wins a majority, which is at least 50 percent plus one vote.