International

Iran extends the vote in the presidential elections until midnight

Iran extended this Friday until midnight the voting time of the early presidential elections after the death of the previous president, Ebrahim Raisí, in elections without a clear favorite.

“Due to the influx of citizens in the presidential elections, the voting time in all schools in the country is extended until 00:00 hours,” said the Iranian Electoral Commission, according to the IRNA agency.

Previously, the Iranian authorities had extended the initial closing time twice from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., a common practice in the elections of the Persian country.

Around 58,000 polling stations opened their doors at 08:00 in the morning, local time (04:30 GMT) throughout the country, where more than 61 million people are called to the polls.

The favorite candidates are the conservative pragmatic Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf, the ultra-conservative Saeed Jalili and the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian to succeed President Ebrahim Raisí, who died in a helicopter crash in May.

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Data from local polls point to a possible second round within a week, given that it seems that no candidate will achieve 50% of the votes.

The results are expected to be announced tomorrow, Saturday at noon.

The Iranian president has decision-making power in national matters and to a lesser extent in foreign and security policy in Iran, where the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, serves as head of state with vast powers.

As is traditional, Khamenei voted first thing in the morning in front of the television cameras and called again to participate in the elections.

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“The continuation, strength, dignity and honor of the Islamic Republic before the world depends on the participation of the people,” said the highest political and religious authority of the country.

Among the voters reigns, however, skepticism and apathy in the midst of an economy weighed down by 40% inflation, a devalued rial and 20% youth unemployment.

To this is added the disenchantment of many Iranians, especially young people, with the Islamic Republic in the face of the lack of social freedoms, especially the imposition of the Islamic veil, a hot issue since the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 after being arrested for not wearing it well, which provoked strong protests.

This apathy among the 61 million voters worries the Islamic Republic, which attaches great importance to participation in the elections as a sign of its legitimacy and popular support.

In the parliamentary elections of March, the lowest turnout was recorded in the 45 years of the Islamic Republic, when only 41% of the electorate went to the polls, while in the 2021 presidential elections they voted 48%.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

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The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

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The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.