成人论坛

Iranians go to the polls today to choose a new President - after three years of economic hardship under US sanctions and two government crackdowns on nationwide protests. Many of the candidates who wanted to contest the election were blocked from standing by the country's Guardian Council.

Dr Sanam Vakil is an expert on Iran at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London:

"Ordinary Iranians have taken the brunt of the pain [of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration] - really struggling to make ends meet, so frustrated and disappointed by the Rouhani administration that has been at the helm of the presidency for the past 8 years unable to deliver on its broad array of promises - so their hopes for reform have been dashed."

(Pic: Iranian women cast their vote during presidential elections at a polling station in Tehran, Iran ; Credit: Reuters)