In a climate of political disillusionment and called-upon election boycotts, the Islamic Republic of Iran heads to the polls today to renew its legislative assembly. Disappointment over failed reform efforts has driven a large portion of the electorate away from political participation, a situation that poses significant challenges for the camp of reformist politicians. Conservative factions, in particular, are involved in a struggle for influence and power – a showdown characterized by the country's first election since the nationwide protests dominated by women the previous fall. The approximately 61 million eligible voters invited to vote are tasked not only with choosing the parliament, the so-called Majles, but also the Assembly of Experts, an influential body of religious scholars. Despite the polling stations' fixed opening hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time with an option for extension, subdued voter turnout is anticipated, with initial election results forecasted for the weekend. Since the Revolution of 1979, the political system has tightly interwoven theocratic structures with republican elements. The mandate to elect the 290 parliamentarians, five of whom are reserved for religious minorities, occurs every four years by the population. However, an ideological vetting of candidates by the ultra-conservative Guardian Council typically leaves Iranians a choice only from system-aligned options. From the original 5,000 candidates, many were disqualified by the Guardian Council, even as a record number of 15,000 candidacies is registered. Political protagonists cluster around lists rather than parties, with the metropolis of Tehran, for example, having 30 seats up for election in the national parliament, with the coalitions each presenting 30 candidates. An escalating power struggle between the current Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf and additional conservative factions suggests an intense power struggle within the capital. The current legislative term is scheduled to end on May 26. Prominent voices, such as that of the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who called for an election boycott, are noticeable. The leadership, including the supreme religious authority Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is by no means indifferent to the upcoming election, urging citizens to actively participate in voting. The last parliamentary vote in 2020 recorded the lowest voter turnout to date, with just over 40 percent. The election of the Assembly of Experts receives particular attention – an eight-year-tenure body made up of 88 Shia clerics tasked, in the event of a death, with determining the succession of the religious leader. The low admission rate of only 144 candidates for the Council elections was critically commented upon, reflecting stringent theological selection criteria. This also concerns the disqualification of the former President Hassan Rouhani, previously a long-standing member of the Council. Despite the importance of the parliament as the legislative body, the actual center of power lies with the leadership and the religious leader Khamenei, who completes his 85th year of life in April. While the president represents the executive every four years and appoints ministers, the Security Council also exercises extensive powers. The Revolutionary Guards, Iran's elite military force, have expanded their influence over the past decades and become a significant economic actor.