2021 Elections – Iranian Officials Concerned About Growing Election Boycott Supporters; Wave of Withdrawals in Favor of Raisi

With only four days remaining until the start of election campaigns and 25 days until the thirteenth round of presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran, responsible officials have expressed concern about the increasing number of election boycott supporters within the country and the declining participation of people at polling stations.

• Basij Leader Concerned About Declining Public Election Participation

The head of Iran’s Basij Organization of the Oppressed warned about the “enemy’s” attempts to “create doubt among people to reduce participation” and stated that “all details” of the presidential election are “under the scrutiny of enemies” and one should not be unmindful of “networking and hostile actions of global arrogance.”

According to IRNA report, Gholamreza Soleimani, on Monday, the third of Khordad, in a meeting with “Basij’s specialized groups in Mazandaran,” emphasized that “many groups within the country” continue to attempt to pull people “away from different scenes.” He described this type of activity as “the same networking and software activities against the system.”

Voice of America has published multiple reports in recent days about widespread election boycotts by citizens in Iran. So far, several officials, mainly security and intelligence figures, have taken positions regarding the election boycott.

Families of those executed over the past four decades, those killed in nationwide protests, and those who died in the Revolutionary Guards’ missile attack on a Ukrainian airplane in Iran, citing “human rights violations” and “disregard for the right to justice in the Islamic Republic,” have called for an election boycott for the first time in coordination with each other.

More than 230 political activists from 50 cities in Iran, arguing that there is no benefit for people in voting, have called for an election boycott.

• Wave of Withdrawals in Favor of Ibrahim Raisi

Several military-oriented figures who had declared candidacy in the elections withdrew on Monday in favor of Ibrahim Raisi. It appears that conservatives around Ibrahim Raisi have reached a consensus. Previously, figures such as Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who had been a candidate in two rounds of elections, this time refrained from candidacy due to Raisi’s presence.

Alireza Afshar, among former Revolutionary Guards members and a candidate for the presidential election, withdrew in favor of Ibrahim Raisi on the second of Khordad, before the Guardian Council announced the results of evaluating candidates’ qualifications.

According to Tasnim report, Mr. Afshar described Iran’s current political landscape as “similar to the time of Sacred Defense,” which requires forces with “insight” and “jihadi spirit” to be able to foil the “enemy’s conspiracy” for “infiltration of currents in the ruling body of the Islamic system.”

Prior to Alireza Afshar, on the 28th of Ordibehesht, Masoud Zarif-bafan announced that he was withdrawing in favor of Ibrahim Raisi, the presidential election candidate and current head of the judiciary.

Simultaneously with Alireza Afshar’s announcement of withdrawal, unconfirmed reports were published about Mohammad Hasan Nami, another military candidate for the presidential election, withdrawing in favor of Raisi, which Mr. Nami denied.

On Monday, Hossein Dehqan, military advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also withdrew in favor of Ibrahim Raisi.

• Interior Minister Warns About More Coronavirus Spread Due to Election Gatherings

Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Interior Minister, on Monday the third of Khordad, on the sidelines of a meeting with governors across the country, described the elections as a “political celebration” and, referring to the resolution of the National Corona Combat Headquarters, said that “the fourth wave is subsiding, but there is concern about the worsening of the coronavirus situation due to election gatherings.”

Voice of America previously reported that the commander of Tehran’s coronavirus headquarters warned about holding physical election gatherings and called it “dangerous.” There were also rumors of holding virtual election gatherings. However, based on recent statements by the Interior Minister, it is likely that in-person election gatherings will be held.

Source: Voice of America