Iran leader urges strong 'message' from elections
Iran's supreme leader told voters it was their patriotic duty to cast ballots in parliamentary elections Friday to send a message of national unity during a "sensitive period" in the showdown with the West over Tehran's nuclear program.
The results for the 290-seat parliament, expected Saturday, will have no direct influence over Iran's nuclear program or other critical affairs, such as military or oil policies. But the new parliament is expected to boost the voices of hard-liners and give Iran's leadership a stronger hand in shaping the bigger election next year: picking a successor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. (AP)
