In the latest parliamentary and religious assembly elections in Iran, conservative candidates have emerged victorious, sweeping the majority of seats as the country grapples with political and economic challenges. The final vote count is still underway after millions of Iranians went to the polls on Friday to choose their representatives.

Preliminary results from Tehran indicate that ultraconservatives Mahmoud Nabavian and Hamid Resaee have secured the top positions among the 30 representatives. They are followed closely by Amir Hossein Sabeti, a 35-year-old state television host turned first-time lawmaker. Notably, parliament chief Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf finished fourth, with only a few of his endorsed candidates managing to secure seats.

The election saw limited success for reformist or moderate voices, marking the second parliamentary election where they were largely absent. However, veteran lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian, representing Tabriz, was one of the few moderates to be approved by the constitutional watchdog Guardian Council and secure votes.

President Ebrahim Raisi comfortably renewed his place at the Assembly of Experts, a body responsible for selecting the supreme leader, securing more than 82 percent of the vote in the South Khorasan province. Notable conservative figures such as Ahmad Khatami, the current imam of Friday prayers in Tehran, and Mohammad Saeedi, Qom's representative, have also secured seats in the assembly.

The elections were held across 59,000 voting stations throughout Iran, with over 834,000 votes recorded by Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, the supreme leader's representative in Tabriz, marking the highest number of votes ever for an assembly winner in East Azerbaijan province.

While the results are not yet final, state-linked media reported a voter turnout of approximately 25 million Iranians. This turnout has been hailed as a "huge defeat" for the campaign to boycott the elections run by anti-establishment elements. If confirmed, the turnout would be around 40 percent of the 61.2 million eligible voters, similar to the 2020 election, which had the lowest turnout in the country's history since the 1979 revolution.

Concerns over Iran's economy, which has been impacted by United States sanctions and high inflation, were a significant topic of discussion surrounding the elections. Nonetheless, despite these challenges, Iranians demonstrated their active participation and engagement in the democratic process.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expressed gratitude to Iranians for their "glorious" participation in the elections, considering it a "decisive response to enemies." However, many conversations also focused on the low turnout in relation to the country's recent protests and ongoing economic difficulties.

As the nation awaits the final results, the Iranian currency, the rial, continued its downward trend, reaching around 600,000 rials per US dollar in the open market. This decline reflects concerns over escalating military tensions between Iran's supported "axis of resistance" across the region and the US-led coalition.

The outcome of these elections will shape Iran's political landscape and its approach to various domestic and international challenges.