Iranians begin voting in run-off parliamentary elections in which 68 seats are up for grabs in the 290-seat Majlis (Parliament).

According to Press TV, polls opened at 8:00 local time (0430 GMT) on Friday and will close at 7.00 p.m., but voting can be extended depending on the turnout.

As many as 136 candidates are running for constituencies in which no candidate achieved a clear majority during February's general elections.

According to Interior Ministry officials, 15,350 polling stations have been planned in 21 provinces. Some 19 million ballot boxes have been prepared for the vote and sent to the provinces.

The elections are being held in 55 cities and towns across the country. There will be no run-off vote in the capital, Tehran, where Reformists and independents won all 30 seats two months ago.

The Reformist bloc is fielding 58 candidates in the run-off, and the remainder includes Principlists and several independent candidates.

A burning issue on the minds of many Iranians is the economy which has found center stage during campaigning by candidates amid a nagging stagflation.

The official unemployment rate stands at 10 percent and inflation hovers around 15 percent.