Civil and Political Activists Inside Iran Reiterate That Presidential Elections Are ‘Staged’

A group of civil and political activists inside Iran who last month signed a letter with 231 signatures emphasizing the need to “broadly boycott fake and orchestrated elections and remove Ali Khamenei,” gathered on Wednesday, June 9th on the Clubhouse social network to form a discussion room titled “Nonviolent Transition Towards Global Democracy” and discussed solutions for transitioning away from the Islamic Republic.

According to Voice of America, in this virtual meeting, a number of letter signatories were present with moderator Sadgh Zibakalam, a political science professor at Tehran University. Initially, Kourosh Zaeim, a member of the leadership council of the National Front of Iran, while protesting “the plundering of national resources by the ruling power and suppression of any rightful movement by the people,” called for a transition from the Islamic Republic system and the dissolution of its constitution. He further emphasized that Iranians have never sought violence throughout history.

Hashmatollah Tabarzadi, secretary general of the Democratic Front of Iran, was the second speaker of this virtual session. He said the election boycott movement is an evolved continuation of all previous movements and uprisings. According to Tabarzadi, the Iranian people clearly state that they no longer want the Islamic Republic. He added: “After these staged and undemocratic elections, we must pursue a referendum under the supervision of international bodies.”

Sadgh Zibakalam, in response to the previous speakers, said that the claim that Iranians have never sought violence throughout history stems from ignorance of history. According to Zibakalam, the massacre of Indian people by Nader Shah and the massacres in the Caucasus and destruction of churches by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar are two examples of Iranian violence throughout history. Zibakalam added: “In my opinion, your roadmap, which is based on racial superiority and racism, is full of errors and leads nowhere.”

Amin Kurd, a member of the central council of the National Front of Iran, also said that if violence erupts in the people’s rightful uprising, the ruling power will be the winner. He added that continuation of the path is only possible through nonviolent struggle. According to this speaker, currently most guilds are joining the campaign “No to the Islamic Republic” and “Vote Against Vote,” and focus should be placed on the theory of transition from the Islamic Republic.

Likewise, Mehran Bakhtiar, a member of the central council of the National Front of Iran, while emphasizing the need to avoid violence, said: “Most of Iran’s middle class are educated and opposed to violence. But other social classes also exist in today’s Iran that seek violence. With the existence of the guardian jurist who has destroyed the republican nature of this system, the discourse of reformism will lead nowhere.”

In a section of the letter signed by 231 civil activists, it states: “The aim of boycotting the 2021 elections is a nonviolent and peaceful transition from the system of guardianship of the jurist toward achieving a democratic and secular constitution based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Among those present in this virtual meeting, only Sadgh Zibakalam was not among the letter signatories.

Source: Voice of America