Minibus carrying ballot box in Iran overturns, killing soldier

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A minibus carrying a presidential election ballot box and poll staff overturned in a traffic accident in the Kurdistan province of western Iran on Friday, killing a soldier assigned to guard the box. Six passengers were also injured, according to a local official. 

The mayor of the town of Divandarreh, Jamal Arshadi, told Mehr news outlet the vehicle was carrying a mobile ballot box but the driver’s “negligence” caused the vehicle to overturn. The passengers were the soldier in charge of the box and 16 election executives. The soldier lost his life. 

“The six injured were moved to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Divandarreh,” said the mayor, adding this incident did not affect the election process as a new team replaced them. 

Iranians went to polls on Friday to elect a new president. The strongest candidate is believed to be hardliner Ebrahim Raisi. 

Nearly 60 million Iranians are eligible for the elections, including 1.3 million first-time voters, according to the state-owned IRNA news agency. 

The elections have been extended to Saturday 2 am.