Cleric Calls for Iranian People’s High Turnout in Upcoming Elections
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior cleric praised the massive participation of Iranian people in Thursday rallies held across the country, and urged them to display a similarly high turnout in the late February elections for Iranian parliament and Assembly of Experts.
Iranian people from different walks of life, carrying flags and banners in support of the Islamic Republic, poured into the streets in their millions on Thursday to hold nationwide rallies marking the 37th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Addressing a large group of worshippers here in the Iranian capital on Friday, Tehran's Provisional Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Kazem Sediqi noted that people’s massive participation in Thursday rallies showed to the world that the day is an ‘Eid’ (day of celebration) for the Iranian nation.
Another Eid, namely the February 26 elections, is awaiting the Iranian nation, Ayatollah Sediqi stressed, urging people to go to polls with the aim of “saying no to the US and Daesh (ISIL)” terrorist group.
Earlier on Monday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said massive presence of people in the upcoming elections as well as rallies marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution’s victory will secure the country against hostile schemes.
Addressing the Iranian Air Force and Air Defense commanders and personnel in Tehran on Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei described elections as “revitalization of the nation and a new pledge of allegiance to the goals of the Revolution.”
Massive turnout in the polls will give more dignity to the country and the Establishment and safeguard them, Imam Khamenei underlined. “Hence, it is everyone’s duty to cast their ballots.”
The Leader also hailed the unmatched presence of people in the rallies marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution’s victory in the past years, stressing that the remarkable participation of people in this year’s demonstrations will again dishearten the adversaries.
Iran is going to hold the Assembly of Experts and the parliamentary elections simultaneously on February 26.
There will be 290 seats in the Iranian parliament and 88 in the Assembly of Experts up for grabs.
Members of the assembly are directly elected to office by people for an eight-year term. It holds biannual meetings to appoint a new chairman.