GV PAN STREET SCENE TO POLING STATION EXT

LV PEOPLE QUEUE TO VOTE

CU INT. PEOPLE IN POLLING BOOTH

CU SENATE PRESIDENT JAFFAR SHARIF EMMANI CASTS HIS VOTE PAN TO OTHERS VOTING, INCLUDING GESTICULATING OLD MAN (2 SHOTS)

CU PAN VOTES INTO BALLOT BOX PAN TO VOTERS

CU PAN VOTERS TO OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE VOTING

SV VOTERS ROUND TABLE
Initials VS/12.09 VS/12.21 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ON THE EVENING OF JULY 9, AFTER VOTING HAD TAKEN PLACE IN THE IRANIAN LOWER AND UPPER HOUSE ELECTIONS, THE RULING IRAN NOVIN (NEW IRAN) PARTY APPEARED TO BE HEADING FOR A LANDSLIDE VICTORY.

THIS IS FILM IS OF VOTING AT ONE OF TEHERAN'S 314 POLLING STATIONS.

AT STAKE WERE ALL 268 SEATS OF THE MAJLIS (LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT) AND 30 OF THE 60 SENATE SEATS. THE OTHER 30 ARE NOMINATED BY THE SHAH.

THE MAJLIS TERM IS FOUR YEARS, AND THE SENATE SITS FOR SIX YEARS. TEHERAN RADIO HAS SAID THAT 4,939,000 MEN AND WOMEN HAD REGISTERED TO CAST THEIR VOTES.

SYNOPSIS: VOTING TOOK PLACE ON FRIDAY IN IRAN IN THE LOWER AND UPPER HOUSE ELECTIONS. IN TEHERAN, THE CAPITAL, AS ELECTIONS. IN TEHERAN, THE CAPITAL, AS ELSEWHERE, LONG QUEUES FORMED AT POLLING STATIONS. AMONG THOSE WAITING WERE CABINET MINISTERS, LEADING OFFICIALS, BUSINESSMEN, WORKERS, FARMERS AND STUDENTS. NEARLY FIVE MILLION PEOPLE HAD REGISTERED TO CAST THEIR VOTES.

SENATE PRESIDENT JAFFAR SHARIF EMMANI CAST HIS VOTE IN ONE OF THE TEHERAN POLLING STATIONS, AMID CROWDS OF JOSTLING VOTERS.

THE SAME EVENING, THE RULING NEW IRAN PARTY APPEARED TO BE HEADING FOR A LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN THE ELECTIONS. IN THE STRAIGHT FIGHT BETWEEN PREMIER AMIR ABBAS HOVEIDA'S NEW IRAN PARTY AND THE OPPOSITION PEOPLE'S PARTY, NEW IRAN HAD GAINED 45 LOWER HOUSE SEATS AGAINST THE PEOPLE'S PARTY FIVE.

268 LOWER HOUSE SEATS WERE AT STAKE, AND 30 OF THE 60 UPPER HOUSE SEATS. THE OTHER 30 ARE NOMINATED BY THE SHAH.

PREMIER HOVEIDA'S PLATFORM INCLUDED IMPROVED HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, EXPANSION OF ROADS AND COMMUNICATIONS, AND GREATER POWERS FOR PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS.

THE PEOPLE'S PARTY PLEDGED TO EXPAND SOCIAL SERVICES, TO SOLVE THE HOUSING SHORTAGE AND PROTEST LOCAL INDUSTRY.

BOTH PARTIES HOLD SIMILAR FOREIGN POLICY VIEWS. THEY INCLUDE THE SAFEGUARDING OF IRAN'S RIGHTS IN THE GULF, AND IRANIAN SOVEREIGNTY OVER THREE GULF ISLANDS DUE TO BE RETURNED TO IRAN ON BRITISH WITHDRAWAL FROM THE GULF AREA BY ARE END OF THIS YEAR.