Iran's Interim President Mohammad Mokhber said on Friday that the voter turnout in the presidential election is "robust", according to initial reports from polling stations.

"My observations from visits to different stations confirm that there is robust participation in the electoral process," he said.

The elections are being held due to the tragic death of former President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash that occurred in Iran's East Azerbaijan Province on May 19. 

"People have always recognized the responsibility and have demonstrated large participation on different occasions, including elections," said Mokhber on his visit to Lorzadeh Mosque in Tehran, attributing the successful turnout to the government's preparedness. 

Polling stations across Iran opened on Friday morning for the 14th presidential election. The voting period began at 8 am local time, and the polls are expected to close at 6 pm, with the Interior Ministry having the option to extend voting if necessary.

Who are the candidates?

The remaining candidates are Saeed Jalili, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, and Masoud Pezeshkian. 

Earlier, two candidates had withdrawn from the race at different times, the latest of which was Alireza Zakani, the current mayor of Tehran. Zakani called on either Qalibaf or Jalili to leave the race and secure victory for Iran's Revolutionary Front. 

The second candidate to withdraw was Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, who withdrew on Wednesday. 

Early projections of the election results are expected by Saturday morning, while the official results will be announced on Sunday.