2021 Elections – Law Enforcement Preparing for ‘Major Operation’; Guardian Council Spokesman: We Don’t Disqualify, We Verify Qualifications

With seventeen days remaining until Iran’s thirteenth presidential election, while some current and former officials of the Islamic Republic have failed to obtain candidacy permission, the Guardian Council’s spokesman claims that the council does not “disqualify” but rather “verifies the qualifications of eligible individuals.” The commander of Tehran’s law enforcement also said: “We are on the eve of carrying out a major mission and operation.”

• Guardian Council Spokesman: Low Voter Turnout Is Not Our Fault

The Guardian Council’s spokesman, based on surveys by state institutions, says “the Guardian Council’s decisions in reviewing qualifications” do not have significant impact on the level of public participation in elections.

Abbassali Kadkhodaei, in an interview with Press TV, also stated that the Guardian Council does not “disqualify” in presidential elections, but rather this council “verifies the qualifications of eligible individuals,” which does not mean that individuals who fail verification have “unsuitable conditions.”

Kadkhodaei, stating that “because we do not disqualify,” no stage for objection is provided in the law and therefore “in no way” is there any possibility for reconsideration. He emphasized that based on “the explicit principle of the Constitution,” the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic can use his authorities “whenever deemed necessary” and “we obey as well.”

The Guardian Council’s spokesman, without referring to Ali Larijani’s disqualification and the critical remarks of his brother Sadegh Larijani, who is a Guardian Council member, said: “Perhaps there may be protests and criticism in cyberspace, but the Guardian Council makes decisions about individuals based on their file documents.”

He emphasized without mentioning the Larijanis by name that the candidacy of “one of the relatives” of a Guardian Council member in the elections showed that this council’s opinion “does not change because of his presence.”

Following Ali Larijani’s disqualification in the thirteenth presidential election, Sadegh Larijani, in a critical Twitter thread, called the Guardian Council’s performance “indefensible” and a result of “decision-making for the Guardian Council,” and described it as “disorder” that is “largely” a result of “increasing interference by security apparatus through false reports.”

• Tehran’s Prosecutor: I Didn’t Threaten, I Advised

The Tehran prosecutor, who had warned that if “red lines of the system” are crossed by presidential candidates, there will be “action taken,” now says “I advised, I didn’t threaten.”

Ali Al-Qassi on Sunday, June 9, had said that if electoral candidates cross “the system’s red lines” during their speeches and campaigns and fail to “prioritize national interests over personal and group interests,” they will be dealt with “decisively.”

The General and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Tehran, on Tuesday, June 11, issued a statement saying these remarks were “legal warning to prevent the occurrence of electoral crimes” and occur during different periods.

Voice of America reported yesterday that one of the electoral candidates, criticizing the threats, had said: “How do they allow themselves to draw lines and define red lines for presidential candidates?”

• Tehran Law Enforcement Commander: We Are on the Eve of a ‘Major Operation’

On the other hand, the commander of Tehran’s law enforcement stated: “We will not allow the slightest security and order disruption in the elections.”

According to IRNA, Hossein Rahimi, commander of Tehran’s law enforcement, regarding the holding of the presidential election, said: “We are on the eve of carrying out a major mission and operation.”

Emphasizing the necessity of “electoral enthusiasm,” he claimed attempts by “enemies and adversaries” to prevent “mass support” for the elections and said: “Today, many of the country’s problems are due to propaganda, distortion, and the cowardly economic blockade by enemies and some poor domestic management.”

Iran’s Student Polling Center announced the participation rate in this election cycle at 36 percent, and even some former officials of the Islamic Republic have expressed doubt about the integrity of the elections.

Nevertheless, officials without announcing a replacement to ensure the validity of identification documents, have announced that due to compliance with “health protocols” in the 2021 elections, fingerprinting in various election processes, especially on voting day, is “prohibited.”

Source: Voice of America