Assembly of Experts and Major Powers

nuclear program: The elections are the first since Tehran last year agreed with major powers to curb its nuclear program, leading to the removal of most of the stringent international sanctions that have paralyzed the economy over the past decade, according to The Japan Times. Newspapers hailed what they saw as a huge turnout, including many young voters. The twinned elections for parliament and a leadership body called the Assembly of Experts are seen by some analysts as a potential generational turning point for Iran, where nearly 60 percent of the 80 million population is under 30. Polling was extended five times for a total of almost six extra hours because so many people wanted to vote. A clear outcome may take days to emerge, although conservatives usually perform well in rural areas and young town-dwellers are seen as preferring more moderate candidates allied to President Hassan Rouhani. Iran Financial Tribune newspaper said 3 million first-time voters were among the 55 million people age 18 and over who are eligible to cast ballots in the country of 80 million. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.