Leader Underlines Safeguarding Iranian People’s Votes

Addressing a large gathering of people from every walk of life in Tehran on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei urged the executive bodies responsible for monitoring and ensuring the security of the forthcoming elections to meet their duties in safeguarding people’s vote.

“All of the organizations are trustworthy and have good coordination with each other but once again I advise them… to protect the votes of the people,” the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei further highlighted the importance of the presidential polls in protecting the country’s Establishment and said, “I do not believe in winning or losing in the elections because no matter who is elected, the winner of the election is the Islamic Republic’s Establishment and the Iranian nation.”

Through holding elections regularly, the Islamic Republic “truly gets refreshed”, the Leader stressed, adding that the Elections Day is “the day of national celebration and joy and elation”.

Ayatollah Khamenei also praised the country’s security situation as instability prevails in the Middle East and said in such an insecure region, the Islamic Republic is preparing for the upcoming elections in peace and full security with the grace of God.

Four Iranian candidates, including Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, the chief custodian of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, Mostafa Hashemitaba and Mostafa Aqa-Mirsalim have been campaigning for the upcoming presidential election.

The Iranian presidential vote is scheduled to be held this Friday.

During the previous presidential election in June 2013, Hassan Rouhani garnered 50.7 percent of a total of over 36 million votes.

According to Ali Asghar Ahmadi, the head of the Interior Ministry’s State Elections Committee, a total of 56,410,234 Iranians can cast their ballots in the election this year.