Early results from Friday's parliamentary elections in Iran indicated a clear lead for conservatives as ballots were being counting, the state-run English-language Press TV channel reported on Saturday.

Out of 118 seats already decided in the country's 18 provinces, the "principlists" -- conservatives loyal to Islamic Revolutionary ideals -- were leading with 85 seats, Press TV said.

The reformist camp reportedly won 25 of the already decided seats, while the other eight seats went to independents.

According to Iranian Interior Ministry figures, about 4,500 candidates were cleared to compete for the 290-seat legislature in Friday's polls.

Initial results also showed a vote turnout of more than 65 percent, much higher than in the last legislative vote four years ago, according to Press TV's report.

Over 28 million out of some 43.8 million eligible voters participated in Iran's parliamentary elections on Friday, it said.

The vote turnout in the 2004 parliamentary elections was about 51 percent nationwide and less than 40 percent in Tehran.

Over the past weeks, Iranian leaders have called for a high turnout in the elections to show Western countries that the Islamic Republic is unified at a time of mounting tensions over its disputed nuclear program.

(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2008)