Iran votes in crucial elections after nuclear deal

Iranians voted Friday in a major test for President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who hopes to curb conservative dominance and provide an opening for domestic reforms after a nuclear deal with world powers.

The Islamic republic's ultimate authority, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was among the first to cast a ballot and he urged 55 million eligible voters to do so "quickly, as it's both a duty and a right".

As well as picking 290 members of parliament, the electorate will also vote in a second election to select the Assembly of Experts, a powerful committee of 88 clerics that monitors Khamenei's work.

The polls are especially important as they come just one month after sanctions were lifted under the nuclear accord and the vote's outcome will be seen as a de-facto referendum on Rouhani's administration.

Known as the "diplomat sheikh" on account of his clerical credentials and willingness to negotiate, Rouhani was the driving force behind the nuclear deal, which he delivered despite political pressure at home.

The agreement raised hopes in Iran but the economy remains in the doldrums after a decade of sanctions that prompted a deep recession followed by high inflation that eroded the public's purchasing power.

A pro-government coalition of moderate and reformist candidates called "The List of Hope" is representing the president's ambitions in the polls.

Lawmakers are elected for four years but the assembly has eight-year terms. Should Khamenei, who is 76, die during that time its members would pick his successor.

Voting began at 8:00 am (0430 GMT) and was due to end at 6:00 pm, although officials say polling stations could stay open longer if there are queues.