Hardliner takes narrow lead in Iranian election, predictions are that the election will go to a second round

Hardline candidate Saeed Jalili has taken a narrow lead in Iran's presidential election, according to early results announced by the government.

The former nuclear negotiator was leading with nearly 42% of the vote after more than 8 million ballots had been counted.

Current predictions are that the election will go to a second round, which is set for next Friday.

2.  Reformist candidate Massoud Pezeshkian is leading in the Iranian presidential election after more than 2 million votes were counted, said Mohsen Eslami, spokesperson for the country’s election headquarters.

Eslami said on IRIB television that Pezeshkian mustered 973,052 votes so far, according to preliminary data. Saeed Jalili, who is Ali Khamenei’s representative in the Supreme National Security Council collected 963,615 votes, while the parliament’s speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, got 341,000 votes, even though he was considered a favorite of the election race.