TEHRAN, March 3: Iran on Saturday declared an initial turnout of 64 per cent in a parliamentary election.

According to a tally of the results announced in 126 seats, 81 went to Ayatollah Khamenei supporters, 9 to President Ahmadinejad’s faction, 7 to reformists and 7 to independents, with the allegiance of the remaining winners unclear.

Iran’s clerical leadership is eager to restore the damage to its legitimacy caused by the violent crushing of eight months of street protests after Mr Ahmadinejad was re-elected in a 2009 vote his opponents said was rigged.

Mr Khamenei, who endorsed the 2009 result, has since turned sharply against Mr Ahmadinejad. Early results from Friday’s vote suggested the divisive president’s supporters were losing ground in the 290-seat parliament.

His sister, Parvin Ahmadinejad, failed to win a seat in their hometown of Garmsar, the semi-official Mehr news agency said.

Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar put the turnout at 64 per cent after more than 26 million votes had been counted,telling state television the Iranian nation had disappointed its enemies by voting in such numbers.

The figure was close to the 65 per cent predicted for weeks by leaders and media. Mr Najjar said 135 seats had been won outright so far, with 10 going to a run-off. Final results were not expected on Saturday.—Reuters