TEHRAN, June 18: Moderate conservative religious leader Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and hardline Tehran mayor Mahmood Ahmadinejad will face each other in a run-off for Iran’s presidency, the interior ministry said on Saturday after counting ended.

With virtually every ballot counted, Rafsanjani led with 21.1 per cent of the vote, compared to Ahmadinejad’s 19.25 per cent, an interior ministry official told reporters.

Reformist leader Mehdi Karoubi was lying in third place with 17.46 per cent. Fourth was hardline former police chief Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf with 13.89 Per cent, and fifth came leftist reformer Mostafa Moin, with 13.68.

The two remaining candidates, hardliner Ali Larijani and reformist Mohsen Mehr-Alizadeh, had 5.94 and 4.39 per cent respectively.

Turnout was put at 62 per cent of eligible voters, a lower number than earlier estimates.

With none of the candidates winning more than 50 per cent of the vote, the top two — Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad — will face each other in a second round. Officials said that would take place on June 24, although it could perhaps take place on July 1 if there are logistical difficulties.—AFP