DUBAI, May 23: Iranians turned out in huge numbers to vote in the crucial presidential polls today which is likely to witness the fiercest tug-of-war between conservative and liberal forces since the 1979 Islamic revolution.The main contest is between conservative speaker of Parliament Ali Akbar Nateq Nouri and former culture minister Mohammed Khatami, a well-known moderate.

CNN gave latecomer Khatami, a reformer who wants to limit the power of the clergy,``a real chance of winning''.

Khatami, forced to resign as culture minister in 1992 under pressure from conservatives and hardliners, has made personal freedom, democracy and rule of law, the main themes of his campaign.

A candidate of a Centre-Left coalition, he is popular among the young, who hope he will bring a more relaxed interpretation of Islam to the job, the CNN said.

His real challenge is likely to come from conservative Nouri, Khameini's anointed successor who supports free market reforms.

Nouri, who has the support of the ruling clergy, began as the frontrunner with a neutral opinion giving him greater chances of winning at the start of campaigning.

Both candidates are 54 year old Shi'ite clergymen. Two other Presidential contenders, Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshari, a former intelligence minister, and Syed Reza Zavareie, the deputy head of the judiciary, are not expected to get many votes, the CNN said.

The results of the polls are expected to trickle down tomorrow and day after and if no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first election, a runoff will be held the following Friday.

AFP adds, separate queues for men and women formed outside voting stations throughout the capital and in other major Iranian cities, as officials carefully checked people's identity cards.

``There are definitely more people participating because they are more aware than before,'' said Interior ministry official Abed Karimi in the poor industrial town of Azad Shahr, west of Iran.

More than 33 million people were eligible to vote and some 20,000 police were deployed at the 33,365 polling stations throughout the country, authorities said.

Large numbers of security forces, some of them heavily armed, were stationed at the main intersections of Tehran early today as the capital came under tight security.

Voting began at 0900 IST and was to last until 2100 IST in Iran's seventh Presidential election since Islamic revolution cries toppled the US-backed Shah.

Khatami received a hero's welcome from hundreds of enthusiastic supporters who shouted ``We place our hope in you'' as he voted in affluent northern Tehran.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.