Today, on Friday, June 28 (Changash 8), Iranians participated in the general elections to choose the successor of the country’s former president, Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash.
Voters are forced to choose one of four candidates who are loyal to the leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei.
Polling stations were opened at 8:00 am local time and voting is scheduled to continue until 6:00 pm. Voting in Iran usually lasts until midnight.
Iran’s presidential election is being held at a time when tensions in the region have increased due to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and on the other hand, the West is worried about Iran’s nuclear program. This country has increased its pressure.
It does not seem that the presidential election will bring any major changes in the politics of the Islamic Republic, but the results may affect the succession of the 85-year-old leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. Khamenei has been in power since 1989.
These elections are also being held at a time when the Iranian government is facing a crisis of legitimacy due to the suppression of protesters, economic problems, and people’s dissatisfaction with the restrictions on political and social freedoms.
Khamenei asked the people to participate in the elections in order to restore legitimacy.
Addressing Iranians through the country’s state television, Khamenei said: “The essence of this system lies in the existence of the people.” Therefore, the continuity and strength of the Islamic Republic, the honor and prestige of the Islamic Republic and the prestige of the Islamic Republic in the world depend on the existence of the people. Therefore, we recommend our dear citizens to take voting seriously and participate in this important political test. ”
Despite this, voter turnout has declined over the past four years, as the majority of young voters test the political and social restrictions imposed on people by the Islamic Republic.
People’s votes are counted by hand at polling stations. The voting results are expected to be announced within two days
If no candidate is able to win 50 percent of the vote, the second round of elections will be held on the first Friday after the results of the first round are announced.
In recent days, a number of political figures, organizations and parties with different political tendencies have stopped the elections. Among them, Shirin Ebadi, head of the Human Rights Defenders Center and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, considered participation in the elections on Thursday as “strengthening the system”.
She said: “If you are unhappy with the current situation and want to reduce the support of terrorists in the world, you can stay at home today. Your stay at home is not only the regime and Iran’s 45 years of misery and misery. They didn’t say that they attacked Iran.”
A part of this report is taken from Reuters news agency