International
Iran’s parliamentary elections conclude after 16 hours amid low turnout concerns
Iran closed polling stations at midnight after 16 hours and three extensions of the voting period in parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections, dominated by conservatives amid popular discontent threatening low turnout.
Around 60,000 polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time (04:30 GMT) nationwide and closed at midnight local time (20:30 GMT) after three extensions of the initially planned schedule, reported Iran’s Electoral Commission.
Some 15,200 candidates – including 1,713 women – are competing for the 290 seats in Parliament, while 144 clerics are running for the 88 Assembly of Experts positions, the body that selects Iran’s Supreme Leader in case of vacancy.
This body is elected every eight years and could play a decisive role in this term, as Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, is already 84 years old.
The elections come dominated by the conservative bloc, which now holds a parliamentary majority, following the disqualification of numerous reformist candidates, casting doubt on the freedom of the elections and, in some cases, calling for a boycott.
Khamenei was the first Iranian to cast his ballot in a televised event, calling once again for voting to “disappoint the enemies” amid apparent voter indifference.
“Make our friends happy and disappoint our enemies. Please vote,” said the Iranian Supreme Leader.
In contrast, hundreds of activists, politicians, students, and professors have called for abstention in the elections, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who views the boycott as “a moral obligation for Iranians who love freedom and seek justice.”
Participation
Polls indicate turnout between 30% and 41%, compared to the 42% in the 2020 parliamentary elections, the lowest level in the history of the Islamic Republic, which has always attached great importance to a high number of votes as proof of its legitimacy and popular support.
Thus, these elections gauge the level of discontent among the population with the Islamic Republic after police repression against protests sparked by the 2022 death of young Mahsa Amini after being detained for not wearing the Islamic veil properly, with 500 protesters killed in clashes with security forces.
Chosen and Forced Vote
From newlyweds voting in Saveh, near Tehran, to a taxi driver in Gorgan claiming to have persuaded 250 undecided voters to cast ballots, people across Iran expressed varying sentiments about the electoral process.
“I voted to show my support for the Islamic Republic and to frustrate the enemies. Our participation shows the world that the system has a lot of public support,” said 52-year-old homemaker Fatemeh in central Tehran.
At a polling station in downtown Tehran, about 10 people waited to vote, a situation similar to the four centers visited by EFE.
However, 56-year-old government employee Ali Reza expressed a different opinion, stating, “I voted against my will. In companies, especially government ones, they always monitor who has voted and who hasn’t.”
Protests
Amid the election day, singer Shervin Hajipour announced a sentence of three years and eight months in prison for “propaganda against the system and incitement to disturbances” due to his song “Baraye” (For), the anthem of protests.
The song’s chorus, “Woman, life, freedom,” echoed in Iran during the months of protests calling for the end of the Islamic Republic.
This sentiment remains strong among many in Iran, especially youth and women.
“Voting in the elections of the Islamic Republic would make me an accomplice to its crimes,” said Maryam to EFE days before the elections in Tehran.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
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