A standoff between Rouhani, who is seeking a second term, and Khamenei's allies, who opposed the nuclear deal, has intensified in recent months ahead of the May 19 vote. "Some say since we took office the shadow of war has been faded away. "It's been people's presence in the political scene that has removed the shadow of war from the country," he added. Rouhani faces competition from hardliners who have criticized his economic record, saying detente with the West and nuclear concessions had yet to yield economic benefits. Rouhani urged voters on Saturday to prevent "extremism" returning to Iran, saying the country could face greater authoritarianism if he was replaced by a hardline rival.

Source: bd News24 April 30, 2017 09:00 UTC